Pendulum
by ImagineCharlotte
Summary: A demonic atmosphere envelopes the Church of Fortuna. The civilians are terrorized by demons. When the Outcast isn't enough to get things under control, Dante is called in to further invstigate. However, when he arrives he is thrown for a loop.
1. Chapter 1

Here we go! The beginning of a new story! It's very different, so prepare yourselves =]

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Chapter 1

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Alto cumulus clouds coat the night sky. A slight breeze picks up their pace, blocking out all of the stars of the outer galaxy. No light reaches the sleeping city of Fortuna. None, other than the illuminated clouds passing over the full moon. Cloaked guards stand at their posts, weapons concealed by their cream and gold robes. Some snore, their backs pressed against the cool stone entrances of the location they protect. Unassuming families slumber in their homes, oblivious to the chaos of the world around them. They sleep peacefully knowing that safety stands right outside their doors.

A small building isolated from the city stands unguarded. This structure is specifically unique, and not only because of its lack of security. Residing here is the Outcast. He sleeps just as carefree as the others despite his lack of protection; he doesn't need it. He is his own protection. Over his chest rests an arm unlike anything those of the city have ever witnessed before. A claw enveloped in an unnatural yet biologically occurring ruby armor encasing a blue radiance. His other, more human arm rests over his mouth, silencing any sounds of slumber. Locks of ivory hair stray over the young man's closed eyes, leaving little of his face to the open.

He stirs, the inhuman arm twitches in the form of a lazy scratch on his exposed chest. The definition of his bare upper body and his raw obliviousness illustrate his confidence in his amount of strength. He turns on his side, the strange arm now hidden underneath himself, the other strewn across the pillow in front of him. His eyes open revealing two deep blue hues. Shifting so that his arm is no longer crushed by his own weight, the young man easily drifts back into unconsciousness.

Long raven hair blows with the wind. A few strands get in the way of a set of silver orbs. Delicate fingers brush them out of the way as she looks on, observing the sleeping boy. Sickened by the sight of those azure eyes, she stands and turns on her heels. The wind ceases, increasing her adept sense of hearing. She doesn't look to see her accomplice approach. A short man with a permanent hunch staggers to her side, taking a glance in her opposite direction at the boy. He smiles a warped and gap toothed smile as he turns to face her.

"Magnificent, isn't it?" His words are long and dragged out, much to her annoyance. His laugh is just the same. "Everything else is ready. We just need the boy to complete the operation."

Without a word, she jumps down from the roof of the stone building. She lands on her feet soundlessly and walks past the sleeping guards. In the center of the town stands a tall well-detailed building, the church. Inside stands the centerpiece, a large stone statue of a legendary devil; a devil whom protected the people of this very city. The woman does not stop to acknowledge it as she proceeds to the basement of the chapel. Her disfigured partner gives the boy another take before vanishing into the night.

A magazine balances over his face as he leans back in his chair. Arms crossed behind his head and feet propped up on the desk before him, he rests his eyes, never allowing himself the privilege of absolute sleep. The front door opens with a loud moan but the man doesn't move. Even as it slams shut and a pair of boots hastily cross the room he stays unmoving. A rust tinted gloved hand presses against the desk as the woman leans forward, a smirk playing across her thin lips. The magazine falls from the man's face as he sits up. His platinum hair falls into place, barely covering his brilliant blue eyes. He sighs and gives the magazine a toss onto the desk. "What now?"

"I've got a job for you." The short raven haired woman leans back and places her hands on her exposed hips. Her polychromatic eyes scan him from head to boot. "It's Fortuna."

Dante scoffs and picks up the magazine, ready to dive into the next article. "We've already dealt with their supposed savior."

"Apparently something is stirring up again. The Order says they can sense something strange happening."

"Don't we all." He sighs, flipping the page.

"A demonic presence has been secreting from their church for the past two weeks."

Dante leans forward, swinging his legs off of the desk, and leans forward, placing an elbow where his boots once where. "Listen, Lady. If there's anything shady going on there, I'm sure Nero can take care of it by himself."

"I didn't think you'd be one to turn down a challenge. Besides, the pay is good." Both Lady and Dante turn to the back hallway as a long blond haired woman enters the room. Her light blue eyes move from Dante to Lady. They give each other a nod in greeting.

"It's been a while, Trish." Lady gives the blond a small smile and they both turn to Dante.

"Good? You're forgetting what _little_ they paid last time. I'll be charitable and save you both the time and trouble by saying this-forget about it. Like I said before, the kid can take care of things."

"A little quick to entrust this sort of thing to someone you barely know, isn't it?" Trish leans on one hip and crosses her arms over her chest.

Cornered by the two vipers, Dante drops the magazine again and sighs. "One week. If nothing changes, I'll head out there."

"Three days." Lady bargains.

"Five." Dante taps his fingers on the desk.

"Deal." Lady holds out her hand to shake, which Dante doesn't hesitate to turn down. She smirks and turns, now headed for the door. "I'll see you soon." She says and heads out.

Trish glances down at Dante and raises a brow. He shrugs and takes his former resting position in the chair. Trish heads back down the hall, disappearing into the dark.

"I'll start packing."

In the deepest level of the church basement, the center of the otherwise empty room glows faintly. As if being held up by this light, the faded shadow of a human figure hovers feet above the ground. It lacks any distinguishable features, not even in height or width. The separated clacking of heels on the stone floor are the only sound in the room. Wavy locks of raven hair falls to the small of her back, her head slightly tilts to the side as she looks on at the shadow. Her silver eyes are unreadable, cold like the walls of stone.

"The people of Fortuna have sensed our presence." The lengthened words of the unsightly man are followed by his unannounced appearance in the shadowed corner of the room. "This could be a problem." He cackles.

"Then you know what to do, Abigail." The young woman's voice is too soft for her hostile nature. Her gaze remains on the ghostly figure.

The old man nods and vanishes just as quickly as he appeared. Alone again, the woman takes a step toward the room's transparent guest. She brings her hand up as if to touch it. An invisible barrier blocks her from reaching it, but her palm remains pressed against it. Her sterling eyes narrow in intensity as she looks on closely. If she concentrates hard enough, she can make out the rough, masculine physique of the shadow.

Just as dawn breaks, the screams of the terrorized civilians echo off of the buildings and into the streets.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

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Robed guards of The Order rush towards the center of the city as the civilians scramble left in right. Blood is shed, its fresh heat creating steam as it sprays into the crisp morning air. Hell demons rise from the ground. They swing their reapers as they crow, their hallow red eyes search for their first victims.

Drawing their swords, the guards go one on one with the unruly opponents. The demons screech and moan as they bring their blades down on the guards. Many of the men fall within just moments of battle.

"Quickly! You must call for more assistance!" The superior of a unit calls to a soldier. The horrified younger male nods and scurries off, out of the city.

The man who gave the order turns back to face a scythe cutting through the air, coming right for his neck. Just before it can pierce his skin, the blade is stopped. Both guard and demon stare in awe as a young man with alabaster hair holds the blade with an inhuman claw.

"Nero!" The man shouts the name in shock and relief.

"I didn't intend on taking so long." He turns to the demon, its eyes glowing with rage.

The leading guard steps away, taking up battle with another demon. Nero tightens his grip on the blade. The smirk on his lips growing wider, he lifts it, the devil still holding on to the opposite end, and begins to swing it around his head much like a lasso. He lets go and the demon hurtles into a group of it's kind. On impact they all turn to dust.

"Strike." Reaching over his shoulder, Nero grasps the forty-two inch Red Queen, swaying it at his side. The tip of the blade grazing the cobble stone ground, sparks fly from the friction of the two as he charges another group of fiends.

The doors of Devil May Cry swing open as Lady enters with haste. Dante drops the magazine to his lower jaw, hiding the scowl on his lips.

"Let's go," She says with a smirk. "And just for being less than three days, I get fifty percent the reward."

"They called on us?" Dante drops the magazine on the desk in disbelief. Another bet lost. Trish walks around from the pool table in the right side of the room and smirks, leaning back against it and crossing one leather clad leg over the other.

"I guess you're high in demand, son of Sparda."

Dante presents her with a short frown before rising from his desk. He suits up, taking only his weapons; the reliable Ebony, Ivory, and Rebellion. He walks past the two women and throws a signal over his shoulder for them to follow. "Let's get this over with."

Nero leans against the fountain and twirls his revolver in his open palm. It took him about an hour, but he managed to eliminate all of the demons. Some of the citizens were hurt, but if it weren't for him many more killed. One question remains-who was the perpetrator? As he walks through the city, he habitually rolls down his sleeve to hide his strange arm from the already shaken people. Everyone knows about it, but they never seem to get used to it. No matter the amount of good he did for the city of fortune, he was and will always be considered the Outcast. It even became too much for his past love interest to manage. She was a sweet and innocent choir girl, but all he did was corrupt her. The cruel names, the endless ridicule, the stares from her peers and elders-it was too much. At least, this is what he's been told. She couldn't tell him to his face. He understood, painful as it was. She shouldn't force herself to be with a monster.

Nero keeps his eyes forward as he walks through the streets. As badly as he wanted to help these people, despite their harsh judgment of him, they would only reject him. He approached the recent general of The Order, the previous one killed years ago in an epic battle to save the city. The general hesitantly shows his gratitude for Nero's aide and dismisses him, overrun with too many responsibilities in this sudden catastrophe. As he reaches the plain and unwelcoming building he calls home, Nero stops. His arm glows through the thick sleeve of his trench coat. Listening carefully, he hears the nearing rumbling of one, no, two motorcycles.

The echo of Abigail's laughter sends the silver-eyed woman's gaze in the darkest corner of the room. The crooked old man steps out from the shadows, hands clasps behind his back. The young woman watches him from the corner of her eye.

"The boy did better than I expected."

"And?" She raises her chin slightly, her voice flat.

"That arm of his certainly contains what you've been searching for."

Her gaze falls back onto the shadow, something she's kept her watch on for the past eleven hours. At her sides, her slender fingers curl into fists. She smirks inwardly knowing that this may only be the beginning, but it won't take long before the shadow would become real. A solid, living, real person. A man.

Nero looks upon the visitors as they come to a skidding halt. A small smirk tugs at the corner of his lips as Dante swings his leg over the bike, in mid-disagreement with the blond woman sitting on the back. On the second motorcycle is another woman with short dark hair and poly colored eyes. He's seen the two females before, but it had been years since then. Names aren't exactly Nero's forte.

"Hey, kid!" Dante shouts for Nero as he approaches, leaving his two collaborators to settle the unspecified argument.

Nero twitches at the nickname, but brushes it off as Dante places his palm on the youth's head, ruffling his ivory hair. He pushes the older man away and fixes his hair.

"Hey yourself. I don't remember getting a call saying you'd be visiting."

Dante looks over his shoulder at Lady and Trish, and shrugs with a heavy sigh. "We were given the invite." He glances around before giving an exaggerated shrug, "So where's the party? Not at the church, I hope."

Nero raises a brow. He didn't go into the church anymore. He had no reason to. If people have felt any evil, he thought they would at least tell him _something _about the situation. His eyes narrow at the thought. They really don't trust him with anything, do they? Dante pinches his cheek and Nero snaps back to reality, swatting the foreign hand away. As the huntresses meet either of his sides, Dante snickers and points a lazy finger at Nero. "Has this kid grown, or what?"

"If I'm so grown, stop calling me kid."

"I don't think so." Dante smirks and turns to face the far-off city. His entire core is set on edge as the heavy scent of human blood is carried by the wind and into his senses. "What went down here?"

"I took care of it. A few demons appeared, no big deal."

"Without reason?"

Nero gives Dante a long and uncertain stare before turning on his heels to his residence. Dante, Trish, and Lady follow him inside. As soon as they walk through the entrance, Trish whistles and Lady snorts. Nero not being one to keep up homely appearances, the place is, for lack of a better word, a dump. Besides the lack of furniture, there are papers strewn everywhere, items of clothing misplaced, not to mention the lack of a feminine touch. Fortunately, there was no strange odor, concluding that he had at least a sense of hygiene.

"So what's going on, kid?" Dante takes a seat at the small wooden table in what could be a living room; not much living was going on here.

"I'm not the kneel-and-pray type. I had no knowledge about this demonic aura you mentioned."

Lady throws Dante a glance from her position against the wall. He nods and rolls his eyes back to the similar looking young man. "Then I guess we'll have to take it up with the head honcho." Dante stands from the chair. Nero stays seated. "Are you coming?" Nero's eyes stay glued to the table as he shakes his head. If these people didn't want to tell him about this problem before, they certainly won't want to now. "Fine with me. I'll be back with an update."

"I'll stay here and see what else I can gather." Trish says, giving Nero a wink. He eyes her apprehensively, curious of her intentions. He wasn't hiding anything from the trio. There was nothing else for them to 'gather' from him.

"Do what you like." Dante says and heads to the center of Fortuna with Lady leading the way.

Nero's azure eyes narrow in suspicion as Trish circles the table and takes a seat next to him. This surprises him, as he expected her to sit as far from him as possible. Anyone else would. He shifts uncomfortably, not having this close of contact with someone. Then again, his glowing arm told him she was another devil, not an easily frightened human. She gives him a genuine smile as she rests her head on her curled hand, elbow on the table. "Where's the girl you were so head over heels for?"

His body tenses, shoulders rising in defense from the abrupt and direct question. "She left town." He replies quickly, his gaze fixated on the table.

Trish raises a brow, scoffing. "Did she even try?"

How could she concur that so suddenly? Nero silently curses himself and raises his eyes back to her. "Of course she did."

"That's a bullshit answer. What really happened?"

Lady is the first to spot the General of The Order. After all, he's the only male surrounded by babbling idiots. He has a stern look about him. He ceases shouting orders as Lady and Dante approach him. Upon Dante's characteristics, many of the people back away or leave altogether, their questions now unimportant. "Tough crowd." Dante gives the civilians a quick scan before the general stands in his view.

"What's this? A relative of that Outcast?"

Suppressing his ignited inner flame, he takes a step toward the general. He towers over him by at least a foot, and his much wider in the chest. The man quickly backs down. He looks Dante up and down, not changing his sour expression. "Youcalled for me?" Dante asks with a cocky smirk.

The general's brows raise, not expecting one man and dainty woman to be the help that was called for. He sucks in a deep breath before turning away. "My apologies. Please, come with me." The general leads the two, moving to a more private building. Inside, the general begins to explain the strange happenings. "Those who would visit the church to pray past dark have noticed strange things."

"Like?" Dante glances around the room at the religious relics, uninterested in the conversation.

The general throws him a glare before continuing. "Figures appear. Sounds come from the lower levels in the basement. We've inspected all of this, but no legit cause can be found. And the lowest levels of the church were close off due to…earlier complications."

"Sounds like a bunch of ghost stories to me."

"They are not ghost stories!" The man slams his fist on the creaky table. "I've seen these figures myself. And just before you arrived the entire city square was attacked by fiends!"

Dante and Lady exchange glances. "Alright, old man. Anything or anyone suspicious been hanging around lately?"

The general thinks for a long moment before nodding. "Yes, I suppose. Two wanderers passed by about a month ago. There was a girl, just barely a woman, it appeared. She was accompanied by a strange looking old man. Of course they only stayed for two nights before disappearing."

"What did they look like?" Lady asks, splaying out her palm to grasp the information.

"If I remember correctly the young woman had long dark hair and large silver eyes. Not the emotional type. She wasn't very tall and she dressed very unlike the people here, maybe another city. And the old man, he wasn't very pleasant to look at. A wandering eye, bad teeth, obscene hunch…"

"Sid." Lady mumbles under her breath. She glances over at Dante, who is listening very intently now.

"How old, precisely, would you say this girl was?"

"Hm…early twenties, I'd say."

"Did she have a name?" He asks quickly, eyes wider than usual with urgency.

"Dante, what does any of that matter?" Lady asks, confused by his sudden interest in the girl. The girl being a suspect automatically puts her out of Dante's chance of courting her, if that's what his intent is. The general lifts his hand to his chin and sits back in deep concentration. Dante grips the table impatiently and presses forward.

"Ah!" He perks up at his victorious recollection. "Now I remember. The girl's name was Sienna."

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Zomg! So this is upload attempt numero dos as the first time around my computer lost internet connection and i had to restart it...and I'm rambling

I hope you readers are enjoying this and if you are somewhat confused, Good! If not...you're too smart for me and this story XD  
Now, for My Cardinal Rule;

Don't just Read...Enjoy and Review!  
-Charlie


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

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Dante sits back in his seat, mouth slightly ajar but eyes wider than Lady has seen since she last told him how high his tab has become. She waves her hand in front of his face and the general stands from the table. With no more information to share he excuses himself from the room, having other important business to tend to. Dante looks over at Lady and she lowers her hand to her lap. "What's up with you?"

He jolts up from the table, quickly followed by Lady. He rushes through the streets back to Nero's house. "Fill me in on what's going on, Dante." She shouts, struggling to keep up pace at his side.

"I cant explain what I don't know." He breaks into a sprint, leaving her in the dust. "Don't be what I think this is…"

A tapping echoes throughout the spiral stairwell as Sienna climbs the steps to the utmost level of the Church. She wasn't supposed to take so long, but she was reluctant to leave that room. She walks in deep thought, knowing just what the future will bring. Now that she's found what she's been searching for these past four years, the process shouldn't take long at all. And the boy was an outcast. It won't be hard to obtain him.

Behind her, Abigail climbs the steps at the same steady pace. Fortunately for Sienna's short temper, he hasn't spoken or uttered a single cackle in the past hour for fear of being put in his place. He claims the boy is stronger then he had anticipated. Not a problem. She is confident she can wipe him out if necessary. Abigail inhales deeper than usual, signaling he is going to speak. Sienna closes her eyes and clenches her teeth. "The hunters have arrived."

Her sterling eyes open and a faint frown crosses her lips. "Perfect."

They soon reach the first floor of the church, now in the chapel. Sienna glances up at the giant statue of Fortuna's Legendary Hero. She doesn't have to look around the chapel to sense that it is empty. She takes a seat in the second pew and rests her entwined fists on the back on the first. Abigail looks on as she bows her head in prayer.

Dante bursts through the front door, sending Nero and Trish to their feet. Lady soon follows through gasping for breath. She slams the door shut and takes a seat at the table, chest heaving as she throws Dante a glare. Trish places a hand on the hip she isn't leaning on. "What did you find?"

Dante's crystal blue eyes dart to each person in the room, stopping on Nero. No one knows who Sienna is but him. Trish and Lady were on hiatus, eliminating demons outside of the city. And Nero. Dante didn't meet him until after her disappearance. However, he and the two huntresses were aware of Sid's existence. "An old friend from a while back has been seen here." He finally says. "Nero, have you seen two wanderers here in the past month? An old man and a woman traveling together?" Nero shakes his head. He would remember seeing outsiders in Fortuna. Then again, not many of the people are fond of him, so they would more than likely leave that out. Leave _him _out. He is the only outsider he's aware of.

"Which friend?" Trish asks skeptically.

"Sid." Dante says flatly. Lady glances from Nero and Trish to Dante. He was leaving the girl out of the conversation. But why? His reaction back in the town center made it clear that he knows her. She's sure he has his reasons, but if things start to get nasty she is going to come into the picture. Especially if she is traveling with Sid.

"I thought you killed him." Trish's brows raise.

"I'll just have to kill him again."

"Who's Sid?" Nero chimes in.

"A puppet. He obtained the power of an ancient devil for a short time before Dante got rid of him." Trish glances at Dante. "Or so we thought."Dante shrugs off Trish's last remark and Nero takes a seat.

"What is he doing here then?" asks Nero.

"Good question." Trish sighs.

"We should probably look into the church." Lady cocks her head over her shoulder. "That's where the reports stated everything started."

"I'll go. Tonight." Dante says. Neither of the huntresses offer to join. Dante's reaction to the girl's name arroused some suspicion in Lady that he knows her as well as his stand-offish behavior when questioned. He would only tell them to butt out, something Trish picked up hence her lack in participation. His eyes trail away from everyone, finding their way to a nearby window. The sun is beginning to set, an array of pastels fading into the deep blue night sky. Anxiety gnaws at his gut.

The moon's fullness is fading. The dark grey scattered clouds block out the millions of stars overhead. Dante stands outside, looking upward. Sid being up to something once again isn't the highest crisis his mind bares. If this girl really is Sienna, what will he do? What is she doing with a lowlife devil like Sid? A devil at all? The door Dante stands in front of creaks shut as Nero steps outside. "I'm coming, too." He says grimly.

Dante looks over his shoulder at the young hunter and nods. Nero rolls down his sleeve to hide his illuminated arm as the two silently make their way into the city's center. Once inside the church, Nero's arm is glowing ferociously. The scent of Hell is thick in the air, suffocating almost. "Whatever it is residing here, it's strong." The fact that neither can see the culprit gives a haunting feel about the chapel. Dante walks around, the heels of his boots echoing through the vacant holy building.

"Well they were right about the atmosphere." Nero coughs and lifts the collar of his jacket over his nose.

He looks to the center of the chapel where all of the pews face. Just under the towering statue is a stand where His Holiness used to preach. In front of that stand is a small stage. Nero narrows his eyes at the memory of the choir girl. She would sing there before every sermon. How he loved her voice, to hear her carry every tune so delicately and perfectly. The only time he hears it now is in his dreams. "Stay here." Dante's voice barely brings Nero back to the present as he walks around the statue.

Eyes scanning every dark nook and cranny, Dante slows his pace as he reaches a small corner. He could have sworn he smelt something familiar. The faint aroma of lavender, but now it mixed with the stench of a devil. Dante pushes the stone wall. It moves backwards as it opens, and he steps through. A dimly lit spiral stairwell awaits him. He takes a glance over his shoulder to see that he is alone before stepping down, keeping his senses sharp to his surroundings.

At the bottom of the stairs is another door of stone. Dante steps in front of it and places his palm against the cool grey entrance. Just as he pushes the door the scent fills his nose again. His eyes widen slightly and he pushes the door open with more force. He quickly enters the dark room and looks around. He can smell her. He's positive it's her. That scent was so clearly identifiable.

"Hello, Dante." Her velvety voice cuts through the thick, malevolent aura.

As she stands on a statue of a soldier, Sienna watches Dante cross half of the room, tilting his head back to view her better. She steps down, landing in front of him. A sickening feeling takes over him as he takes in her appearance. She looks exactly the same as the day he last saw her. Four years ago. It isn't her looks that disgust him, but the overwhelming scent of a devil on her. _In _her. She doesn't smile at him. Her unreadable gunpowder eyes convey nothing.

His eyes narrow at her hardened features. She used to smile all the time, even when he bullied her around. Dante doesn't bother to watch his back as she circles around him, sizing him up, taking in any changes that may have occurred during the years. When she completes the observation their eyes meet again. "What did you let him do to you?" Dante asks rhetorically. He doesn't care to be enlightened. It will be too sickening to hear. It's sickening just to think about. This girl who stands before him, he doesn't know her. He doesn't want to believe that someone so pure could be so easily corrupted, become what she denied the existance of for the longest time.

"I underwent a few minor changes." She turns away from him, a few locks of her jet black hair brushing against his chest as she does so. Dante closes his eyes as that hellish aroma violates his senses again. Opening them half way, his sharp aquamarine eyes follow the girl's petite frame as she stands by the entrance Dante had used. A few minor changes. Is that what you call it when you take a human's soul and consume it with that of a devil?

"I see your sense of sarcasm has remained in tact, but I digress. Just what is it you're planning?" He asks, turning to her.

She doesn't turn to face him, her palm against the same cold stone as her eyes. "That's none of your concern. Please don't get in my way, Dante, or there will be consequences." She pushes the door open and vanishes into the dark stairwell. The air thins out, the smell becomes faint. He stands in his place, taking in the moment. The aura was all from her. She is the devil he was called in to stop. _Why did she bother asking me to stay out of her way? Sarcasm, perhaps? Or maybe..._ Nothing can talk her out of what she has planned, especially if it is what Dante thinks her plan is. Sienna is stubborn, hard-headed. If she has her mind set she will do anything to grasp it. _It's possible she doesn't have control over who's lives are lost._ He sighs, shaking his head as he comes to a realization and the only solution. He will have to kill her. He clenches his fists at his sides, mouth twisting in a silent growl. No, he won't kill her. But if he doesn't, Nero might. _Nero_! Dante breaks into a full run as he climbs the stairs back to the chapel.

"Hey, kid, where are you?" His words echo throughout the room as he searches for his ivory haired look alike. He looks around hastily, eyes darting to every shadow. Aggrivation struggles to erupt from him as his search goes unsuccessful. A thunderous clash sends him running outside. Nero slides back on his heels, dust rising from the ground as he swings the Red Queen. The blade slices through a demon. It lets out a wild shriek before vanishing before his eyes. Dante reaches behind his back and runs full speed toward Nero.

"Chill out, old man, I got it!" Nero shouts, ready to step out of the way.

"Move!" Dante shouts, reaching back for Ebony and Ivory.

Nero turns around to face a thick black smoke forming in front him, rapidly growing in size. The demon appears through the smoke, scythe already coming down on Nero. Dante pulls the triggers of both guns, catching it off guard. The skeletal creature stumbles backwards, shrieking with anger. Nero steadies Red Queen in both hands and swings hard. The blade slices through the demon again. To Nero's disapproval, Dante uses his shoulder as a boost and jumps over the demon. Firing with rapidly, he lands on his feet behind the demon. Before it can turn to face him, Dante grabs Rebellion and whips it around,

"What's your deal? I said I had it!" Nero growls, brushing his shoulders off.

"Your welcome." Dante says, holstering his weapons. He doesn't bother telling the youth that he was almost decapitated. Suddenly the rush of another presence passes through Dante. He can hear that ridiculous laugh, as distant as it is. Azure eyes scan the buildings, the streets, then they raise to the top of the church. His eyes narrow, a sneer curling his lips as he makes out the two figures. Sienna looks down at him, hands in the back pockets of her black denim jeans. Her long hair covers half of her emotionless face, blending with the small black leather jacket. Next to her is a short disfigured man. His laugh makes Dante reach back for his guns again. "Sid." He mumbles under his breath.

"Next time let me take care of things!" Nero approaches Dante and shoves him by the shoulder. The young man pounds his fist over his heart, anger in his eyes. "It's _my_ job to deal with things here!"

Dante raises a brow at Nero. "Is that why I was asked to sort things out?"

Nero growls and passes Dante, their shoulder's colliding. Dante looks back to the top of the church. Sid is gone. Sienna remains, watching carefully. But she isn't watching Dante. She takes a step back as the wind picks up speed, her eyes following the younger hunter as he storms off. Dante turns to Nero, all of the peices of the puzzle coming together. He looks over his shoulder, up to the roof. She's gone.

* * *

Wat it do, home skilletz?  
Ahem, I mean...I apologize for the day-late update. My *ass#ole* brother just loves hogging the only computer in the house. To do what? I have NO idea.  
I hope you enjoyed this chapter and arroused even more confusion/suspicion/curiosity in your fun-loving minds =] If not, tell me how a raven is like a writting desk!

ONTO THE RULE!

**Don't just Read... Enjoy and Review!**

-Charlie


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

* * *

Nero storms through the streets, ignoring all stares at his demonic arm. He curses himself aloud and slams his hand into the vibrant claw. Why couldn't Dante just let him do things himself? He is perfectly capable of protecting Fortuna. He doesn't need anyone else's help. He glared down at his cursed arm. If he could just show everyone that they really did need him. Then they would accept him. But if Dante doesn't stop butting in, they'll begin to see him as an unnecessary civilian. They'd banish him, only to call on him when things got too out of control. He growls and runs his hands through his hair. He wasn't going to let that happen. He is going to prove himself to everyone.

Dante strides through Fortuna, not looking for much of anything in particular. Nero might have gone home, but then again he might not want the company of two women telling him what to do. He walks at a slow pace, occasionally eyeing the roofs of the surrounding buildings. Did Sienna summon the Hell Vanguard to attack Nero? That's impossible. She would have taken at least a decade of experience to summon something that powerful so quickly. It could have been Sid. He was there, too. Whichever did it, it was only a warning to those who dares get in their way. What Dante cant figure out is what Sid had to do with any of this. If he planned to gain some sort of power, it wouldn't be through Sienna.

Abigail lets out a long and dragged out sigh as he follows behind Sienna. She keeps her gaze ahead of herself as they walk. The time can not come sooner when she can finally get rid of him. Once everything is complete, she will not hesitate to discard of him and that repulsive face of his.

"It seems we'll have to distract the hunter, eh?"

Sienna knows he is right. She can't have Dante running around to constantly protect the boy. What Abigail doesn't know is that the boy had just the same thing in mind. You learn so much about someone when you watch over them for a period of time. The temperature begins to drop as the two head for Fortuna Castle. Snow falls as they reach higher altitudes. Sienna watches the flakes of white rush by her. If she were still human, she wouldn't last long up here in her current attire. However, she didn't waste her time admiring her new physical abilities. They aren't something she wanted, but needed if she is going to complete this task.

Two large wooden doors stand tall before Sienna and Abigail. In the corner of her eye, Sienna sees two Frosts approaching her. She turns her head to two more on her other side. She sighs and grabs her hair, pushing it all over one shoulder. Abigail takes a step forward and grins.

"I'll let you take care of them." He bows and vanishes into the wisps of snow.

Eyes straight ahead, Sienna turns, now walking back down the bridge and away from the castle. The four Frosts follow her like animals cornering their prey. Like an agile cat, she walks across an old electrical wire, one foot in front of the other. Turning back to the demons, she brings her hand out from behind her back, revealing a palm-sized circle about two inches in thickness. She holds it at her side, waiting for the Frosts to come closer, to underestimate her.

One get close enough to slash her with it's blade. Sienna's thumb quickly finds the activator of the object. Four long curved blades slide out with a sharp ring, forming into a deadly propeller. She turns her body away from the Frosts before letting go and giving the weapon a hard spin. The blades soar through the air as it blurs into a silver circle. The weapon turns in the air, headed back like a boomerang.

She holds out her hand, waiting for her weapon to return to her. The blades slice through the Frosts, decapitating one, another falls into two separate halves. The blades return into the circle before Sienna catches it. The force of the weapon sends her backwards, something she knew would happen. She grips the entwined metal wires and holds her body straight in a seemingly mid-air split. The wire begins to bounce up and down from both the wind and another force. Titling her head back, a third Frost approaches her on the wire. As she brings her heels together with a click, she turns on her hands and pushes off, landing on her feet again. She spins around, activating the weapon again. The blades cut through the demon as well as cutting the leg off of the fourth.

With a flick of her wrist, she pushes her hair away from her face and continues on her way to the castle entrance, back onto the icy bridge. The remaining Frost limps after her. She tugs the bottom of her jacket, setting it back into place and ridding it of any wrinkles. The bridge give way behind her, collapsing under the weight of the demon.

Giving up on finding the kid, Dante heads back to Nero's residence. It's early morning, still dark out. As he closes the door behind himself, the light turns on, revealing Trish and Lady on either side of him, arms crossed over their chests. They were obviously upset that he left the two out of the fun, and returned without Nero. Dante groaned and walked past the two, taking a seat at the small table in the living room.

"Well?" The two follow him in, keeping their unhappy attitudes up.

He shrugs and puts his feet on the table, which Lady immediately pushes off. She wags her finger at him and he squints his eyes at her pushy manner.

"Defiantly Sid's work." He sighs and tilts his head back, closing his eyes and rubs his eyes.

Lady's polychromatic eyes dart at Dante with suspicion. Again, leaving out the girl.

"And where is Nero?" She asks.

"Kid stormed off after I saved his ass. I tell ya, I get less and less gratitude from that punk every time I do him a favor."

"I think I know why." Trish unfolds her arms and begins to unfold a few pieces of paper. She holds it out for Dante to take. His eyes skim the paper and he turns the pages before looking up at Trish.

"What's this?"

"If you noticed, this place is trashed with papers. Most of them are cases he was sent out of and accomplished. After the two of you left I took it upon myself to take a closer look." Dante hands the papers to Lady, who takes a longer look than Dante bothered too. "Nero is looking for a way to get his old arm back."

Half of the shelves are knocked over from previous brawls. Sienna looks around the destroyed room. These books are just a ploy, set up by whomever resided here years ago. She walks against the walls of the room until she finds a door behind a fallen bookshelf. Effortlessly, she grips the shelf and pulls it backwards. The remaining book fly across the room just adding to the pile of the others. Opening the door, she finds that it is actually an elevator. The lights still work, so the electricity is working.

Sienna steps inside and hit's the button for the bottom floor. If she doesn't find what she's looking for there, she'll just have to work her way up. The numbers light up one by one as the elevator descends to the lowest level. Chrome eyes narrowing, Sienna thinks back to the room in the church basement. No one would reach that room but her and Abigail. Then again, Dante's involved with this now. He saw her in the second level.

The elevator doors open as it reaches its destination. Sienna steps out, into room filled with bookshelves. This one is untouched, unlike the uppermost floor. She walks slowly, eyes scanning the book titles left and right. She comes to one without a title and takes it out. Flipping through a few pages, she comes to a page written in another language. She lets out a sharp breath of disapproval. Now she'll have to take the time to translate the spell.

"Abigail." She closes the book and turns her head slightly.

The old man appears by her side, his lazy eyed smile exposing his lack of dental care. She didn't need him around at the moment, and translating the book would be faster for her without his heavy breathing getting on her last nerve.

"Keep Dante and the other hunters busy."

"Understood." He laughs and pulls his vanishing act.

Nero tugs his sleeve fore the millionth time, trying to cover his cursed arm. He is alone, but he himself can't stand the sight of it. Lifting his gaze, he sees Fortuna Castle in the distance. He hasn't seen that place in such a long time. Not exactly the best memories there, either. Then again, there was vital information contained there. That stuttering creep Agnus ran his lab there.

He thinks about telling the others where he'll be heading, then thinks better of it. If they can't find him, Dante can't save the day for him if something should ever go wrong. Holding his chin up, Nero heads up to Fortuna Castle.

"That's ridiculous, Trish." Dante scoffs and crosses his arms.

"No it isn't. He's always hiding it from everybody. That girl he was so in love with left him because of it."

"Kyrie?" Dante raises a brow. "I knew she was a brownie."

"That's not the point, Dante." Lady chimes in. "If it's really doing this much damage to him, he might actually be considering getting rid of that arm."

"He does that and I'll kick his ass. That arm holds-" He stops mid-sentence. "Shit." Dante jolts up from his seat and runs back out again, leaving the two huntresses in confusion. He runs through the streets, eyes darting all over the place. If Nero was anywhere around, he would certainly stick out like a soar thumb. He had to get to the kid before Sienna. Four years ago he entrusted Vergil's sword, Yamato, to him. She may not know about the sword, but she could damn well know who's arm it really is.

He comes to a sudden halt. There are no buildings around him. He senses something approaching. Pulling Ivory out, Dante turns and aims his gun. Abigail laughs, his hands clutched behind his back. He pulls the trigger and Abigail vanishes, reappearing behind Dante.

"Easy there, devil hunter. Why the rush?"

Dante growls and pulls Ebony out with his other hand, pointing both at Abigail. He's the one who did this to Sienna. He got into her mind, made her into what she is now. Dante fires rapidly, every bullet missing as Abigail teleports around the vacant part of the city. And now she was going to pay for his mistake.

Abigail's laugh surrounds Dante as he focuses his vision, steadying his senses. He can feel that insect of a devil is too close for comfort. Pointing his gun over his shoulder, the tip presses against the coward's forward.

"Ah, ah, ah. You can't kill me, half-breed." He snickers.

Dante moves his finger off of the trigger. He's right, to some extent that is. He could pull the trigger and kill this bastard right now. But then he would have no way of stopping Sienna fast enough. Abigail walks around to face Dante. He clasps his hands behind his back grins. Dante glares at him with disgust.

"Bastard. Tell me where Sienna is."

"You sound angry. How about you take your hate for me out on them?" Abigail points over his hunched shoulder. Three Hell Vanguards swing their blades, shrieking in anticipation to kill their prey.

"Take your time." Abigail laughs and Dante looks over to where he once stood.

"He's more of a coward than I remember." He scoffs, readying Rebellion.

The elevator doors open with a 'ding' and she steps out, the book tucked under her arm. The smell of another presence fills her nose. Se takes a side step behind a standing bookshelf and presses her back to it. The rustling of pages and book covers hitting each other makes her raise her chin and look through the space between books.

The outcast boy sits in the center of the room, tossing books over his shoulder. With each book he flips through, he grunts and tosses it. Sienna looks down at the book underneath her arm then back at the boy. He is staring right in her direction, not making a single movement. She freezes, her gunpowder eyes narrowing as she silently curses herself.

He hesitates for a long time before looking back down at the book in his hands. Sienna takes small and soundless steps to the other end of the bookshelf. She double checks to see if the boy is still on the floor before turning back to make a dash to conceal herself behind the next shelf.

Acting as fast as the flap of a bee's wing, she turns holding her propeller blades up as the boy's inhuman claw grips it tightly. "I don't like being spied on." He glares at down her.

* * *

_OMG! Indeed I tossed some action on this salad of a story XD  
Sorry this was so late, alot of problems came up last week and did I mention my laptop is broken forever? Fck you HP!  
Scusi...as always, **Read, Enjoy, and Review!** (and thank you to all of you who reviewed this new story and I did not get back to!)_

_-Charlie Horse XD_


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

* * *

She growls and takes a step forward, pushing him away. He lets go and backs off, Sienna seconding the motion and concealing her weapon in the back of her jeans. Sienna eyes him comparatively with her impassive sterling gaze. She wasn't spying on him. At least, not at the moment she wasn't. But she wasn't going to tell him that. Her eyes glide down to his demonic arm. He rolls down his sleeve and her steel eyes shift back up at him, her lips a flat line.

Nero hates being stared at, and this girl is doing a damn good job of keeping it up. She has no emotion in her eyes, let alone her entire body. Is she mentally judging him? Is she waiting for him to strike again? He hates this stranger's silence.

"Excuse me, I have work to do." She says, walking around him.

Nero lets out a shortly held breath and turns on the heels of his boots, grabbing the girl's arm with his armored one. The both freeze as their signals flow through each other. Sienna's eyes widen, her heart momentarily stopping. That touch. It was too familiar, too close to reality. Nero snatches his arm back, holding it with his other hand. And just like that the feelings dissipate. She closes her eyes, gathering herself into the blank exterior she now wore so frequently.

"You're a devil." He says flatly. His arm didn't react when he she entered the room. He didn't even smell her. Now he could. Something along the lines of…coconut?

"As are you."

"Why are you here?" He asks.

She holds up the book and gives it a slight wave. "I like a good read." She grips the book against her side and heads for the castle's exit.

"Wait." Nero calls after her.

She steps to the side, avoiding his arm grabbing for her again. She couldn't afford to lose her composure again. She turns to the boy, giving him a cold stare. He was really wasting her time. If he would just wait a damn day so that she could translate the book and _then_ show up. Then again…Sienna relaxes her hardened eyes and gives the boy another look. Maybe she could do things the easy way. She stands in his path as he regains his footing. He stops and glares down at her. She did just make a fool out of him, after all.

"What is it?"

"You're the girl who appeared a month ago. One of the wanderer's right?"

"If I am?"

"I want to ask you a few questions."

* * *

Dante sheaths Rebellion on his back, now taking out Ebony and Ivory. These devils just keep coming. Dante smirks and runs full speed into the group of Vanguards and Hell Wraths.

"Nothing wrong with a little exercise." He says to himself, bullets whizzing through a Wrath, turning it to dust.

Next is a Vanguard. He puts Ivory in it's holster, taking Rebellion back out. A bolt of lighting comes down on the Vanguard before he can even get the chance to touch it. He grunts in disappointment and looks over his shoulder.

"How about some company?" Trish smirks, upholstering two guns of her own. Lady stands a few feet away from her, guns in hands as well.

Dante shrugs and nonchalantly slices through an approaching Wrath. "Just don't ruin all of _my_ fun."

* * *

Sienna mentally scoffs. What could he possibly want to ask her, if she's the one killing everybody? That would be a short conversation. She turns and walks down the cathedral-ceiling hallway into a more situated room. Nero follows close behind her. She takes a seat on the edge of a long table, placing the book down at her side. The translation will have to wait. Nero takes a seat in a chair near her, unsettling her nerves. Why couldn't he sit at the other end of the table.

"Well?" She crosses her legs, eyes darting around the detailed painted ceiling.

"If you're a devil, why do you have that?"

She glances down at his curious azure eyes. They glance at a long scar peeking out from the sleeve of her right arm. If it weren't so important that book would be crushing his face in. She sighs, knowing it's just a small part of the process of trust.

"I was human."

Nero's eyes widen in shock. She watches him closely. This boy be very sheltered. Was it really that hard for him to believe people could become devils? After all, Abigail informed her that it happened in his very city, and he is a part of that very organization.

"How did-why did you become a devil?"

She uncrosses and crosses her legs, her nails tapping the cover of the book beside her. "I had to."

"You didn't want to? Someone forced you into it?" He was talking somewhat fast, unusually concerned for her. She really wanted to slap the stupid out of him.

"No, I wasn't forced. I have a small task I have to complete, which involves a high risk of death. Becoming a devil reduces those risks greatly." Other than the occasional disappearance of her voice from its natural rasp, her voice is monotone.

His eyes narrow at the word 'task'. His concern turns into anger. "Why are you summoning all of these devils? What did this city ever do to you?"

Sienna's chrome eyes lock onto his devil arm. "It isn't me they did anything to."

"Someone you know?" He lowers his arm under the table.

She lifts her eyes up to his. The coloring, the shape, and that hair. It sickened her. He didn't deserve to look like that and run around with his unchained soul. Nero averts his eyes before a silver chain around her neck catches his attention. His eyes lower to the middle of her chest. A small stone in the shape of a heart sits in a pool of diamonds.

"Someone you love?" His voice is lower, quieter.

Sienna raises a brow as she follows his gaze to her chest. She lifts the necklace slightly before dropping it under her loose cream shirt. Her silence answers him. Nero watches for any signs of emotion in her eyes with no prevail. If it weren't for the necklace he wouldn't of known this blank slate was capable of showing affection. He thinks back to everyone The Order possibly hurt during the rise and fall of Sanctus. Too many. He looks down at his arm and clenched his clawed fist. He would act the same way if someone hurt the one he loved. He _did _act that way. And look at how that turned out.

"There are other ways than revenge."

"I'm not seeking vengeance. The Order had this coming, whether it be me or another devil."

"How can you say that so heartlessly?" He slams his human fist on the table, causing it to shudder under the pressure. "You were human once!"

"People die everyday, boy. A few more make no difference." It's true. Sienna has witnessed so much death that she's become numb to seeing it.

"Tell me young hunter, have you ever stopped to think that devils are the same as humans? Do you not think that when their family dies, that they feel no pain?"

"They have no family!"

Sienna narrows his eyes. To think she was once as ignorant as him and for so many years. "You have no family?" She asks flatly. Nero stops his shouting rampage and looks down at the table.

"Not anymore." He whispers.

Sienna watches the pain wash over his face briefly before he regains his composure. Nero's eyes dart from human hand to devil claw. She was right. He and Dante are devils. They feel just as humans do. And this girl. She has someone she loves. Nero looks up at her. They had more in common than he'd like. Would be become like her one day? Emotionless, heartless, a killer?

"If revenge isn't your motive, what is?"

"That's for me to know..."

She turns her head to the side, silver gaze passing through him to another painting on the wall. She focuses back on him and watches him shift uncomfortably under her gaze. That's what he gets for sitting so damn close.

"You'll find out soon enough, hunter."

"My name is Nero." He says, quick to give up his name.

It isn't important to her. Him having a name is like calling a lamp a lamp. You name it something just so you can tell it apart from everything else. Her eyes fall on his vibrant arm again. She has to play it somewhat nice if this boy is going to come to her willingly.

"Sienna." She doesn't hold out her hand and neither does he.

He lowers his cursed hand under the table again. His lack of confidence was really beginning to get on her nerves. Hiding the thing in his sleeve doesn't destroy the fact that it's there. An arm is an arm. Sienna nods her head to it and Nero shifts again.

"How did you get that?"

Nero curses himself for being so fidgety. Maybe if he hadn't tried so hard to hide it she wouldn't have noticed. Now she would show him the same cruelty as the people of the city. Or worse, with those ruthlessly unreadable eyes of hers.

"A surgeon from The Order attached it after it was cut off by a devil."

"Was it consensual?" She asks, not quiet caring about his answer. Then again, if he answered no she might hate him a little less.

"Of course I didn't want this. How would you like to be walking around with this thing on you?"

No, she still hated him. In fact she took offense to his answer. He has the soul of one of the most powerful devils attached to that scrawny body of his and he has the audacity to talk it down to a piece of trash. She takes a slow and deep breath, calming herself. No worries, he'll get what he wants soon enough. They both will.

* * *

Another late update! Sorry my reading readers I've been busy with work and rebuilding my social life bahaha  
Sorry if this is short, too. Im working on making my chapters longer, but not life-consuming long which is actually sort of difficult!  
Anyways, onto the important stuff

Read, Enjoy, REVIEW!  
-Charlie


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

* * *

The bullets soar through the last demon, sending it into an explosion of dust. Lady rubs her hands together to rid the dust and Trish holsters her guns. The smirk victoriously at each other and turn to Dante. His shoulders are lastly raised, guns still in his hands.

"Dante, chill out. You got them all." Trish approaches him from behind and rests her hand on his shoulder.

Her blond brows pull together when she sees the edge in his eyes. She follows his gaze to the distant city wall. Sitting in the edge is Sid, with his ugly grin, kicking his legs as if enjoying the show. Trish looks back to Dante, who shrugs her hand from him and walks towards the outer city where Sid awaits.

"Hey, where's he going?" Lady walks to Trish's side, watching Dante as well. Of course, Lady is human so it makes sense that she can't see as far as she and Dante. Trish is always forgetting that part.

"Who knows." She says, turning away. "Let's go before this wind gets to be too much."

"What about Dante?"

Trish looks over her shoulder at Lady. "He can take care of himself." She smirks and turns back. The wind carries a scent to her and she freezes.

"What's wrong?"

Trish's eyes widen and she turns back, running towards the outer city. She can't feel where it's coming from, but there's a demon on it's way. And it's coming fast. If Sid was the one summoning it, she had to get to Dante as fast a possible.

Dante's mouth twists into an animalistic growl as he approaches Sid. The old man's grin grows wider as he jumps down from the wall.

"You-"

"I'd put those away if I were you." He laughs and points to the path leading to Fortuna Castle. Dante glares down at Sid and gives a quick glance in the direction, then double takes.

Down the path walks Sienna, carrying something under her arm. Nero trails behind her. Dante can make out their mouths moving, but can't hear what they're saying from their distance. Behind him, he can hear the quick clacking of heels on the hardened dirt. He turns completely to see Trish running toward him, and behind her is Lady calling for her.

He turns back to see that Sid is gone. Vanished again. He scoffs and holsters Ebony and Ivory, turning back to Trish. She waves her hand through the air and he tries to make out what she's saying.

"Dante, there's something coming!"

He raises a brow and glances over at Sienna and Nero descending from the castle covered in freshly fallen snow. Sienna's eyes are locked on him, two sterling orbs watching his every move from the closing distance. He wanted to avoid this, even if he wasn't completely sure it would happen. Sienna was part of his past, and one he didn't want to bother explaining.

Trish stops feet from him. Dante puts on a smirk and turns her around, pushing her away.

"Easy there, babe. It's nothing."

Trish growls and turns herself back to face him. "What are you talking about? You can't sense it? Another demon is here, somewhere. It's powerful."

Dante keeps up his carefree façade and sighs. "Sid is pulling our strings. It's easy to put up the scent of a devil and not summon it. Now go, on your way now." He shoos her away and she growls.

Damn, she was too stubborn. Of course she could sense Sienna. If they saw each other, Trish might make the connection between she and what was going on in the town. Too late. He turns and sees Sienna right behind him, Nero at her side. Trish jumps back in surprise and recovers herself.

"Wait, she's the devil?"

Dante's eyes lower to see Sienna let go of Nero's normal hand. She transported them there. He wasn't sure how she did it, when he could barely do it. "Not just any devil." He says almost excitedly.

Dante feels a pang of anxiety in his gut. His azure eyes locked onto the Sienna's gunpowder ones. She couldn't just wait until he got rid of Trish and Lady. She as doing this on purpose, showing him just what she is capable of. He glances at Nero for a split second. She could do whatever she wanted with those around him.

"Sienna." He says flatly.

"Yeah she-wait you know her?" Nero asks, sounding let down. He wanted to be the one to break the news that he caught the devil.

Dante holds out his arm, his face as impassive as hers. "I want to talk to you." Sienna analyzes him in a heartbeat before taking her arm in his. Trish and Nero look back and forth between the two as they walk away. Neither Sienna nor Dante says anything until they're out of hearing range. They walk just outside of the city. Dante leans his back against the stone wall and looks her up and down as she remains standing.

"How long did you have to think about it before you let Sid put a devil inside of you?" He asks, his eyes scanning the horizon. There was nothing for miles out here.

"Two weeks." Dante looks back down at her petite frame. The question didn't imply he actually wanted an answer, however before she did answer he figured she'd say something along the lines of sometime during her missing four years.

"Do you think he'd want you to do this?"

Her chrome eyes narrow and she tilts her head slightly, probably trying to figure out the point of this conversation. "I'll ask him when I see him."

"I can't let you do this, Sienna."

"Yes you can, and you will." She takes a step closer to him. "You won't touch me, Dante."

"You almost sound as if you're threatening me."

"It's not a threat. It's a fact. You know as well as I do that you wouldn't be able to live with yourself if you killed your only remaining family."

He glares down at her. She isn't family by blood nor marriage, but close enough, and now she is using it against him. "And we both know that your soul is still in there, shadowed by the devil's."

Sienna scoffs and steps away from him, crossing one arm around her waist. Dante glances down at the book under her arm. So that's why she was in Fortuna Castle. Still, it doesn't explain why Nero came back with her."Don't get such ridiculous thoughts in your head. You can't exorcise it out of me." She sneers at him.

Dante smirks and shakes his head. She was over thinking things. Of course he couldn't be the one to release her from the devil. However, he was sure she could be the one to do it. That book might have something to do with that.

"This conversation is over." She turns on her heels and walks back towards the city. Dante looks up, remembering something. "Kitty-cat."

Sienna stops in her tracks. Her shoulders rise as her body tenses. "Don't call me that."

"Try and hurt the kid, and I'll hurt you."

She looks over her shoulder. "We'll see about that."

When Dante returns to the city, Trish, Nero, and Lady are all watching him skeptically. Nero filled the two in on what he'd learned from Sienna. Apparently, she needed the church for something important and was summoning demons to keep the people of the city away. When he'd asked her what the something is, she only told him that if everyone backs off no one will have to die.

"And you believe her?" Lady shouts at Nero as Dante joins them.

"She has no reason to lie. You felt it, she has enough power to take out this entire city. If she wanted, we would all be dead now."

"And she just might when she's through with everything!"

"She'll won't be the one to try and destroy everything once she gets what she came for." Dante sighs, and they all turn to him.

"How would you know? Oh, that's right, you know her!" Trish shouts. "Did you know she was here?"

"Maybe."

"And you didn't bother to mention her?" Dante shrugs as Lady gives him a side glance and turns back to Nero. "Listen, whatever this Sienna girl said to you, you shouldn't trust."

"Did any of you watch to see where she went?" Dante raises a brow to all of them. Of course they didn't. She probably pulled the same vanishing act Sid did to avoid them all together.

"Damnit!" Nero shouts, eyes averting here and there. How did she manage to slip away?

He still needed to talk to her. Everyone turns to him, surprised. "I was…I wanted to turn her in." He says simply and walks past Trish and Lady, back in the direction of his home. Behind him, Dante watches closely. He was certain Sienna got in his head now, too.

* * *

Running her fingers through her long wavy locks, silver eyes thoroughly examine the shadow of the male figure. The barrier around it remains untouched, a sign that no one has entered the room. Sienna walks around the glowing glass centerpiece, searching for any sign of materialization. Her lips curve into a smile. Alabaster skin, there on the transparent hand. They're only fingertips, but they are also the beginning of a resurrection.

The translation was taking fast than she'd thought, as the language of the spell was in Latin. The rest was in German, but those weren't spells but concoction. She didn't need those. Already half way through, Sienna had read and activated the first part of the process. The body would now begin to come together, forming a complete being.

The second part wouldn't be as easy. Transferring a live soul into a deceased being would be like turning water into wine. Damn near impossible, but it's been done before. Even if the host of the soul is willing, it will take a lot more than that to complete the spell, and do it right.

Sienna's smile drops to a flat line as Abigail enters the room. His cackle sent a pang of irritation straight into her mind. He walks to the opposite side of the incomplete being and grins at her through the glass.

"You work faster than I expected."

He isn't giving her kudos. He is being a smart-ass. If he were in her position, he would of have this part done two days ago. She is taking forever, reminiscing with that damn devil hunter and trying to get the boy on her side. She should just taking everything in one swift movement. Who cares if Dante dies? That would makes things much easier.

Sienna knows her pace of completing things is getting on Abigail's nerves. That's his own problem. He found her, asked for her assistance. Now he will just have to wait on her time. Sienna isn't the only one getting something out of this, of course. What devil in his right mind would find a human and do them a favor this huge? No, Abigail had something else in mind. His end of the bargain included more than he let onto her.

"You'll get what you've come for in time, Abigail." She steps away from the ghostly body and looks at him directly. "Why is it Dante has no idea of your true form?" She recalled him being referred to as 'Sid' by the hunters.

He laughs, his crooked shoulders bouncing up and down at the motion. "He seems to be distracted by your…enhanced self. He'll find out soon enough."

* * *

_Buona sera miei amici! Come siete tutti? I had to use google translate for the last sentence :p I'm still learning!  
Well that was on odd encounter, no? I want to say so much but I'd be giving things away which I really shouldnt...ohh the suspence!  
__Well, I hope you have enjoyed another chapter of Pendulum. I am now going to stuff my face with cake batter._

_Non dimenticate di leggere, gustare, e **rivedere**!_

_Until next time,  
Charlie_


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

* * *

Nero shuts the door behind him and walks into the poor excuse of a living room. Unsure of if the other were going to come back or not, he doesn't bother to lock the front door. He moves a pile a papers from the couch and takes a seat, running his fingers through his ivory hair. Why did she have to vanish just like that? Damnit if Dante wasn't there he would have gotten his answers.

He stands form the couch and walks into his bedroom. Shuffling through more papers, he narrows his eyes, moving at a faster pace. He knows he left the most important bunch in his room, on his bed. Why aren't they here? Nero growls and throws the useless pages across the room. They float down, swaying back and forth, and Nero scoffs. They went through his things!

Now he wants them gone for good. They're too much trouble for him, as if the people in the city aren't bad enough! First Dante shows up unannounced, stealing his spotlight, and now they were going through his things and ruining his chances at any type of happiness. Nero storms out of his home, if that's even what he should call it, and leaves with just the weapons and clothes on his back.

* * *

Her metal gaze reflects the materializing figure before her. It's only been a few hours, and already the shape and color has taken all the way up to the shoulders and beginning of the chest. She watches the muscles twitch and contract, content filling her. Those arms used to hold her, comfort her, and occasionally hold her back from jumping fist-first into situations. What she absolutely can't wait for is to see his face again. What she would give-will give- to see those eyes open again.

"The boy is approaching." Abigail raises his brows to Sienna, ripping her from her thoughts.

She glares at him, though not intending it to be directly at him. He isn't supposed to come to her so quickly. She figured the boy would take at least a few days, enough time for the resurrection to complete the first half. A sharp sigh leaves her lips as she heads to the exit.

"I'll deal with him." She states just as Abigail steps back into the shadows, evaporating in the room.

* * *

As Nero enters the church, the powerful scent of a devil knocks his senses. It's much more potent than before. He takes slow steps toward the stage, the back of his arm over his nose and mouth. He squints his eyes to adjust them to the surrounding darkness. Behind him two torches ignite, putting him on edge. The chandelier above him lights up as well, showing the new stained glass ceiling. Aquamarine eyes darting back and forth, he catches a shimmer in his peripheral vision and looks up.

Sitting on the hands of the statue of Sparda, Sienna lowers her chin as she looks down at Nero. She takes notice to his sensitive nose and cuts her hand through the air. Nero lowers his arm as the scent dissipates. He steps up onto the stage, his eyes on her glass ones.

"I wasn't expecting you, young hunter."

She eyes his arm, and he can swear he sees interest glimmer in them for only a second. He looks down at him arm, the sleeve rolled up. He contemplates rolling it down before stopping himself. When he raises his head again, Sienna is gone. A sharp sigh send shim turning on his heels. She sits in a dimly lit area of a fourth row pew. It doesn't take him very long to realize it's where he sat during His Holiness's sermons and when Kyrie sang…

"I wasn't, either." He fesses.

Nero takes a few steps towards the stairs when Sienna stands. "Have you come to turn me in again?" She asks, sarcasm dripping from her every word. Nero looks down for a split second before she vanishes again.

"I-" He turns his head when a small hand runs down his shoulder. Sienna walks around from behind him to his side.

"I don't appreciate being spoken down to." Her voice is low, threatening. This sends chills down Nero's spine.

"I was only throwing the others off."

A short laugh comes from Sienna, though her expressions conveys no humor. Her lips barely parted. "Of course you were. What have you come for?"Nero bends his arm upward, clenching and unclenching it. The blue skin glows furiously under the red armor. "Ah, yes."

She nods and holds out her hand. Nero hesitates before placing his devil hand in hers, and gasps as the flow of her strength hit him. Sienna, on the other end, is prepared for what would happen if this hand ever touched her again. She learned the first time. He watches her skeptically as she walks down the steps. She really has no problem touching his arm? Leading the way, Sienna sits in the first pew, Nero places himself next to her. She lets go of his hand and he catches his breath, his shoulders less heavy."You want to know how to get that removed, correct?" She asks, knowing that's exactly what he wanted.

Nero nods and bends his fingers one at a time as they tingle. "Trying to cut it off didn't go well."

Sienna shoots him a glare and he closes his mouth, his lips curving downward. Why would she care if he cut his arm off or not? If she thinks of him like everyone else does, she would love for him to cut it off, and watch him do it. Then again, she purposefully touched it. No one ever dared do that, no even Kyrie. He was building up a lot of respect for this girl. Devil, he corrects himself. Not girl, devil.

"So you can help me get rid of it?"

"Yes." She nods. "Of course, you will receive your old human arm in return."Nero's eyes light up as he smiles ear to ear. How he yearned for the day to come where he would become normal again. No more freakish stares, no more rude comments, no more fear of Fortuna getting rid of him. He would finally be accepted.

"You would also lose all of the powers you possess. You will bruise, you will bleed, you will take days to heal from any extreme wounds...if they don't kill you."

He never thought those things would sound so enticing. All of this fast healing that his body has been doing has left him feeling less and less human everyday. His smile drops as he turns to her. "Will…will it hurt?"

She nods again, showing no sense of concern for the future situation.

"How bad?"

Her eyes narrow. What a stupid question. "Like your arm is being ripped off and another attached. You will be completely awake during the process. I'm not a doctor, Nero." His brows raise at the sound of his name. It sounds so foreign coming from her.

"When you finish what you're doing here…where will you go?"

"Home." She says flatly.

That word sounds even more strange. She has a home? Of course she would. She was human once. Still, he lowers his gaze as a familiar feeling faintly pinches his gut. Did she only have him under the impression that she accepted his arm, or maybe she's just playing nice so he doesn't get in her way? Still, he is looking up-or down- to her now. As uncomfortable as her blank façade makes him, it's better than harsh judgment.

"And what will you do with your new arm?" She asks as if she could care less, nonetheless asks out of mannerism.

Nero smirks and looks at his normal hand, imagining its mirror image on the other. He's so used to it, he doesn't know what he'll do. Everything he couldn't before, maybe."Show it off." He looks at him from the corner of her eye. This boy is even more strange than she'd anticipated. Everyone has arms, so his will be no different. Just another face in the crowd. That is what he wishes for, though.

"When can we get started?" He asks with excitement.

"Two days at the most." She sighs the words.

"Two days?" Now she glares at him. What an ungrateful little-

"I thought something like that would take forever!" He laughs. "Wow…48 hours and I'll be a regular human. This is too good to be true!" He runs his glowing fingers through his ivory hair.

"Yes." She says, speaking for herself.

Nero's smile grows wider at the thought of his future life as a happy, normal man. Sienna doesn't bother showing the same amount of joy- or any at that. They will both get what they want, and she won't have to deal with Dante as Nero will live through the process. To some extent.

* * *

Lady's mismatched eyes glance over at Dante for the hundredth time as they walk. They aren't headed in the direction of Nero's house, so she has no idea as to where they're going. She thinks back to the outer city. As she was catching up to Trish, Dante was walking away with a girl. So her name is Sienna, and she's a devil. She got that much. And as Nero has said, her intentions have nothing to do with hurting anyone unless they get in her way.

He was a fool is he believed her. Even if it's the truth, she'll defiantly have something coming to her. She, Dante, and Trish will eventually have to stop her. Lady's eyes lock onto Dante's profile. He _will _stop her, won't he? She has no idea of their past, but they certainly looked nothing like lovers. Dante looks over at her and Lady straightens up, eyes forward.

* * *

They sit in silence. The only sound comes from the flames of the torches licking the air as a light breeze flows through the cracks of the doors. Nero's smile seems to be permanent as he looks down at his two different arms. He still can't believe it. He's going to be able to start over! He looks over at Sienna, his smile fading only slightly. Her eyes stay glued to the stage in front of them. He wonders what she might be thinking about, and if it's good or bad.

Unbenounced to her, Nero moves over, closing the space between the two. Sienna lifts her gaze just as his arms wrap around her. Entire body tensing, her jaw clenches tightly as she holds back from unleashing her displeasure on him. What the hell is he doing, and why!

"Thank you." He mumbles into her hair. She takes in a slow breath, calming herself down. The tightening in her chest gets worse as he speaks. Couldn't he just say the words 'thank you' and get out? The touching was very unnecessary. She can't kill him. She needs that arm. Don't kill, don't kill, don't…

"I hope you get what you want, too."

Nero smirks to himself as he feels Sienna squirm in his grip. So something could make her uncomfortable, after all. He wonders what else she's capable of. Aware of the fact that she could tear him apart, he decides not to test her and lets go, sitting back a seat away. Sienna keeps her eyes straight ahead and flicks her hair out of her face.

Before enveloping himself in the glory the future holds for him, he takes a long look at her. If she weren't so closed off she would probably be even more beautiful. He wonders what the man she loves looks like. Probably someone outgoing. Opposites _do _attract. Nero lowers his eyes to his arms again, his wide grin returning. He opens his mouth to ask her one more thing as she stands up.

"I'm going." She says, walking up onto the stage.

"Wait." Nero stands from the pew.

Sienna turns to him. Under the stage lighting her eyes look more alive, her features softening. "What is it?" She asks impatiently.

"How do you and Dante know each other?"

She thinks for a moment before answering. "We're relatives."

Nero's jaw drops. No way. Related? But their features are so-and she wasn't always a devil-and that just didn't make sense! Before he can get an explanation, Sienna has vanished. The demonic atmosphere hits him like a ton of bricks as it returns to the room, a light purple mist filling the chapel. He coughs and walks quickly, stepping outside.

* * *

Trish glances over at Lady as they walk side by side, Dante in front of them. She barely lifts her hand, pointing at him. Lady shakes her head and gives a slight shrug. Raising a blonde brow, Trish takes an extra step forward and nudges Dante. His head turns as azure eyes avert to hers, slightly wide as if awakening from a day dream. She looks over his shoulder to Lady, who tilts her head in his direction as a go-ahead.

"We've been going in circles. Are we looking for something in particular?" Trish asks.

"I'm waiting." He replies, facing forward again.

She looks back at Lady again, who meets Dante's other side. "Waiting for what, exactly?"

"The kid should show up soon. And when he does, I'll have a talk with him."

"About his arm?" Trish raises both brows.

"Something like that."

"Dante, how exactly do you know this devil, Sienna?" Lady asks, lowering her head grimly.

Dante's lips press into a tight line. Both women can feel the tension inside of him and decide to back off, taking their previous places a pace behind him. Whoever this girl is, Dante doesn't have the best reaction toward her being mentioned.

Up ahead is an opening to another main street. Dante slightly lifts his chin as Nero comes into sight, walking by the street the three hunters are currently walking. He stops mid-step and turns, now headed in their direction. As he nears, Dante and Trish pick up the scent of the she-devil on the smirking youth. Dante holds both arms out not in welcome, but in awaiting explanation.

"Where the hell did you go off to?"

"I was having a chat with Sienna." He says, his smirk turning to a grin.

Dante sneers at the kid's uppity attitude mixed with the scent of her. "So I smell. What could she possibly have said to you?"

Nero snuffs his nose with his thumb, still grinning. "Personal stuff." He notices Dante's irritability and decides to get back at him for earlier. "She smells even better up close."

Dante snorts and crosses his arms over his chest. "Keep your hormones to yourself, kid. Now what did she say to you?"

Trish and Lady exchange glances before taking their leave. It seems the conversation wont be going anywhere anytime soon.

Nero chuckles and puts his hands up in mock surrender. "What are you, her father? Nothing that would interest you."

"I'm not that old." Dante scoffs and places his hand around the handle of Rebellion. "Now talk."

"Or what, you'll stab it out of me?"

The older hunter sighs heavily, letting go of his weapon. He turns away from Nero and shrugs as he walks away. "Forget it, kid. Let her get in your head for all I care."

Nero looks down at his devil arm, clenching his fist as Dante takes a turn a block away. He can't tell anyone what was going to happen in just hours. Dante would try to stop him, he can feel it. He wouldn't understand. Nero scoffs under his breath and heads toward the outer city, in the direction of his house.

After finding the two huntresses, which was no problem for Dante, the three find their motorcycles. Dante swings his leg over his before noticing the two women watching-more like glaring-at him, arms crosses over their chests and one leg forward in a dominating stance. His eyes scan one before the other and he sits back on the bike.

"Is there a problem?"

"You're just going to leave the boy here to deal with all of this?" Trish asks, raising a platinum brow.

"He seems fine with 'all of this'."

Lady takes a step forward, pointing an accusing finger at Dante, her heterochromatic eyes narrowing. "Stop acting like such a child. Nero is still a kid, so this devil girl could easily have said something to get him on her side."

"How exactly do you know her? I don't recall you ever explaining that to us." Trish chimes in.

Dante sighs and gets off of the motorcycle, walking past the women. "I don't recall that being either of your information."

"That's not fair, Dante. We're on this mission, too. We deserve to know everything you know about what's going on." Lady snaps at him.

Ceasing in his place, Dante clenches his fists, his jaw tightening. How is he supposed to explain who Sienna is? He could start at the beginning, but that would take too long and detail isn't his forte. He turns to the two huntresses, eyes them wearily. Can he trust them enough to let him say something so personal?

He looks at Trish. They have their own personal experiences, starting from when they first met. From how she resembles his late mother, to joining to hunt devils together. Then there's Lady. She wasn't to keen on working with a devil, but he grew on her. Dante lets out a sharp breath.

"Sienna is-was Vergil's…partner." He winces at the word, but he can't exactly call her his wife for girlfriend. It just doesn't sound right. The women's eyes widen and Lady lets out a short laugh.

"Vergil? As in your twin brother?"

Dante nods, not seeing the amusement.

"I thought he was the solo type of guy." Trish mumbles.

Dante feels the anxiety rise in his stomach. They can't be this dense, or maybe they're just in denial. Or shock. Trish and Lady look back at Dante. Their smirks drop upon seeing his hardened features.

"You mean partner as in…" Lady's brows raise over her heterochromatic eyes.

"…as in lovers?" Trish finishes. Dante sighs and runs his palm down his face. The snickers of the women seer into his ears.

"Call them what you want. The point is, she's a devil now which is all that should matter-"Wait. Did you say a devil _now_?" Lady's expression becomes grim.

Dante holds a breath in. He forgot the part where Lady's father was a human who sacrificed her mother to become a devil himself. A crucial fact that he seems to forget often.

"Now hold on just a second. Sienna didn't sacrifice anybody."

"Are you sure about that?" She asks flatly.

To both huntresses' surprise, Dante lets out a deep growl. "I'm positive Sid did this to her."

"What would Sid want with a human?" Trish's brows pull together.

"Nothing, which is good enough reason for her to do it herself!" Lady hisses.

The two others turn to her at her outburst. Lady turns and gets on her own motorcycle, starting it up.

"Just wait, Lady. None of us know that for sure." Trish quickly approaches her, Lady's mismatched eyes gliding over to Dante.

"I'm not going to sit back while this bitch does what she wants." She revs the engine before taking off in the direction of Fortuna. Trish turns to Dante and lets out an aggravated sigh.

"Now what?"

Dante turns away, back towards the Church of Fortuna. He didn't see this part coming. Maybe it's another part of her plan. This is why she showed herself in front of everyone. She knows his accomplices would ask about how he knows her. Nero and the Commander of The Order know her name because she told them, so they would say it. She knew Dante would show an obvious shock to her identity, arising questions about her in the first place. She hasn't killed Nero in all their meeting, however many there have been now. She's gaining his trust by each passing moment.

The clicking of heels trailing behind him catches his attention. Trish catches up behind him, going on about how he should have stopped Lady. He doesn't know how, but Dante knows she will be next if he doesn't stop Sienna now.

* * *

**_OMG yaaay a super long chapter for once! And guess what? my laptop is fixed! which equals MORE updates!  
Thank you all for your reviews, even though I'm terrible for not answering becuase technical difficulties. Your reviews truely do make my day and as embarassing as it is to laugh at a mobile update in the middle of my italian class, I love them!  
I hope you all continue to enjoy this story, becuase even I find it so bizaar :]_**

**_Please, Read, Enjoy...and Review!  
Love,  
Charlie_**


	8. Chapter 8

**Alright readers; it's been a long time. So long that this website has upgraded to the point that I had to go through every side, upper, and lower tab to understand where I could mak a damn update! Now usually I leave the auther's note to the bottom-which I will do for the sotry once you finish reading! But I felt I had to apologize ahead of time for taking soo long! What brought me back was the emails I've recieved from people still actually reading T.T**  
**Thanks so much, really ^-^ Now, onto the short chapter (that's right - this traditionally short chapter is proof that I am back and will HAVE to update more often!)**  
**ONTO THE CHAPTER! **

* * *

Chapter 9

* * *

Nero lies in bed, his devil arm strewn across his chest, the other behind his head. He stares out the window, the night sky clear. Pen points shine like tiny planets forming constellations and mapping out which way is which. The moon shines the brightest, it's crescent form a smile mocking all of it's miniscule competitors. The chirping of crickets and belting of a frog or two are the only sounds around the residence.

He runs his claw-like fingers through his hair before turning on his side, facing away from the outside world. He won't sleep tonight. The excitement is too much. Turning his head, he presses his ever so spreading grin into the pillow. He's always been afraid of waking up from dreams, but now he's afraid he might oversleep and miss this dream which will soon be a reality.

Dante and Trish storm into the church, the scent of devils knocking them right in the face. A slight purple fog occupies the room, flowing under the pews and around the statue in the middle of the room. The two exchange glances before splitting up. Both guns drawn, Trish inches against the walls, the atmosphere and fog both limiting her senses. Dante keeps his eyes sharp as he crosses the room toward the back door he had found when he was here with Nero.

He reaches out to push the stone door when a bolt of lightening strikes the ground in front of him. He curses and turns to see where the hell Trish is when he spots Sid walking around the statue into view. Dante quickly draws both guns and aims. Sid laughs and clasps his hands behind his back as he steps forward.

"Evening, devil-boy." He snickers.

Dante's eyes take a quick scan about the room, where there is no sight of Trish. "You again. Where is the girl?"

"Sienna?" His smirk widens and he holds a finger to the door. "You wouldn't happen to think you were going in there, would you?"

Narrowing his eyes, Dante sets his fingers around the triggers. "I might."

"She isn't here." He chuckles and places his hand behind his back again. "She's making a few last preparations for the upcoming event."

"I'll ask you once more. Where is she?"

"You think you can stop her?" Sid's shoulder shake with his every chuckle. "You and your female companions are no match for her. Even I don't have the power to stop her."

"No?" Dante snaps, not letting this man fool him.

"You're growing quite the brain there, devil-boy. But I'll save the answer to that little riddle for you when the time comes." He takes a few steps back and gives Dante a deep nod.

"No you don't-" Dante pulls the triggers, opening rapid fire on the disfigured man before vanishing. "Damnit, not again." He growls under his breath. The sound of lightning bolts and gunfire sends Dante running to the other side of the statue, a horde of devils closing in on Trish.

Frozen in time, the once shadowy figure stands in the center of the dimly lit room. Well defined arms hang loosely at the sides of lengthy, toned legs. Ivory hair flows in the clear fluid within the barrier. The eyes remain shut beneath ashen brows. Smooth lips part slightly as minimal air bubbles soar to the ceiling. Exposed alabaster muscles twitch as they come to life.

Silver eyes dance across the body, taking in the now physical form of the man before her who was once only a memory. She was back in time to see him completely resurrect. The first part of the spell has been completed, and so successfully. Nothing is out of place, not a hair missing.

Faintly aware of the commotion going on stories above her, Sienna steps toward the unconscious man. He is an empty shell now, but in less than two days time he will be alive again. A smile tugs at the corner of her lips as she observes the man's facial features. She becomes anxious, barely able to wait to see those glacial eyes set on her, to hear his deep voice criticizing her thoughtless words.

She doesn't blink. She hasn't since returning, at least she doesn't remember if she has. Her attention has been set completely on him, her only outside thought to tell Abigail to keep everyone out while the process finished. The ruckus becomes louder, the building rumbles like thunder. Sienna scowls at the pieces of rubble falling from the ceiling, threatening to land near her precious resurrection.

"I'll be back." She promises the man before leaving the room.

* * *

Trish summons a bolt of lightening, shatering the glass ceiling and brightening the room as it hails upon the two Hell Wraths. Dante drags his blade across the stone floor, bringing it up into a Vanguard and shooting with both firearms. The devils keep coming, out of nowhere almost. Trish leans forward, hands on her knees to catch her breath. Dante calls out her name and she responds, turning and dispatching a round of bullets into a new type of devil, a Scarecrow. Another appears before her, bladed arm raised. Dante turns on his heel, swinging Rebellion with force on an approaching Vanguard.

Two rapid claps echo through the room, bringing all devils to a halt. The Scarecrow's blade still raised, the Vanguards, Wraths and Prides mouth open with silent shrieks. Dante steadied his breathing as the devils lower their weapons and step back into portals without another sound. The thickening purple mist vanished just as quickly as the devils and Dante follows the distinct scent, his eyes finding Sienna's as she sits in a middle pew.

She lowers her clasped hands to her lap and Dante holsters both guns, sheathing rebellion. He holds out his arm, blocking Trish as she attempts to run toward her.

"My apologies." Sienna speaks softly, but Dante can hear the impatience in her voice. "I specifically told Abigail to keep the noise down. This is a place of worship, after all."

Trish looks to Dante and he shakes his head, keeping eye contact with Sienna. She must have Sid confused for the devil who's powers he had tried to summon. Sienna doesn't bother getting up as Dante walks down the isle. He reaches her quickly, his boots stopping almost on top of hers.

"Stop this, Sienna."

"No." She answers coldly, her impassive gunpowder eyes stare him down.

Dante narrows his cerulean orbs as he leans over her, his arm on the back on the pew. "I won't ask you again."

"I wont tell you again." She replies dryly. "You have no business being here. Leave. You'll gain nothing by staying."

"Is that supposed to be a threat?"

Her dulled eyes travel over to Trish before Dante steps in her way. He pulls out Ivory and presses the end against her forehead, finger on the trigger. Sienna sighs and closes her eyes. "Don't be a fool." Trish's gasp echoes off of the stained glass followed by the splatter of blood. Sienna opens her eyes, gazing up at Dante. His face contorts with pain. Multiple glass shards impale him at every angle. Ivory falls from his hand and Sienna stands from the pew. She steps alongside Dante and turns her head to him, eyes as emotionless as ever. "_Now_ I'm threatening you. Don't try me again."

She steps into the isle and walks past Trish, who watches her with widened eyes. Sienna doesn't give the woman a glance as she vanishes into the darkness. The swords vanish into thin air as well. Crimson liquid pours out of Dante's open wounds, gathering into a puddle on the floor beneath him.

"Dante!" Trish runs to his side just before he collapses to his knees.

He gives a short laugh and lifts his head to view her. "I'm just gonna…get some shut eye." He grunts in pain, his only support is Trish's arms as he passes out.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Shazaam! Yes Dante went down that easy and for some odd reason it makes me laugh to say that! :]  
-shakes off evil aura- anywho, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I will actually be updating instead of just saying I will =]  
Thank you, and don't forget to review  
-Charlie**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 10

* * *

Azure eyes snap open, sweat droplets falling from his forehead, down the bridge of his nose and over his cheeks. Running inhuman fingers through his colorless hair, Nero sits up to catch his breath. He doesn't remember falling asleep, but it's morning already. A pair of sparrows whiz past his window, chirping back and forth in untranslatable conversation. Beams of sunlight stream into the room, making Nero squint.

The dream he had. He can't recall the details, but he remembers it seeming so real. Nero glances down at his arms. The devil arm is still there, unlike in his dream where it was identical to the other. It was a great dream, but he couldn't shake the feeling of something terrible happening. He shakes his head and wipes the sweat form his forehead with the back of his arm.

Reaching over to the side dresser, he lifts the small clock in front of his face. Thirty-six hours left. He can just hear the ticking of the clock, although it's taking longer than he'd like to complete one minute. He tosses the clock back into place and throws the covers away. Running his fingers through his hair, he opens his bedroom door to an unexpected scene.

* * *

Gun in hand, Lady walks through the abandoned streets, eyes alert and senses keen for any sudden surprises. Her heterochromatic eyes scan the stone building tops. The whispering wind is the only sound other than her own footsteps. In the corner of her eye a shadow passes. She looks over, aiming her gun steadily with both hands. Taking a few lengthy leaps, her back presses against a cold cement wall. She concentrates her eyes on the corner of the building the shadow disappeared behind.

She walks against the wall, taking slow steps toward the corner. Her gun remains raised in front of her face as she presses her feet together. Slowly, she leans to her side and peeks around the corner.

A trash bin falls over as a strong gust of wind passes by. Lady jumps in her skin and eyes widen, finger falling on the trigger but not pulling yet. The trash bin rolls back and forth and a stray dog runs out in search of a new banquet. She sighs and lowers her gun, shoulders relaxing. She hadn't gotten any sleep last night, or the night before now that she thinks about it.

"Looking for something?" A soft but raspy voice asks.

Lady opens her eyes with a gasp to see the girl-no-devil standing inches away from her. She blinks her impassive chrome eyes as Lady raises the gun and pulls the trigger. The girl takes a step back and glances at the hole blown through her left shoulder, just above her heart. Crimson liquid gets a slim chance to shed as the wound instantaneously heals. The silver eyes girl locks eyes with Lady's mismatched ones and narrow slightly.

"That won't happen again."

She grabs the gun in Lady's hands in gives it an effortless toss. Lady, hands still on the handle, skids across the gravel with a grunt. She pulls out another gun and aims, but the girl is gone. Lady's eyes dance around frantically looking for her opponent before a hand grips her armed hand and twists it backwards. The devil kneels in front of Lady, her head tilting to the side as she turns her arm in ways it shouldn't. Lady lets out a short cry of pain and glares at the girl.

"I told you it wouldn't happen again. Don't you hunters listen?" The devil sighs as Lady kicks out her leg and steps on the her shin, pressing down. Lady lets out another yelp. The pain shoots through her leg and down her twisting arm.

"Sienna, that's your name isn't it?" She spit's the words at the devil.

"Does it matter? You'll be dead soon, anyways."

"You'll be the one dying you scum!" Lady uses her free hand to reveal another gun, pulling the trigger.

Sienna lets the bullet hit her in the side. Not phased by the new wound, she presses her foot down on Lady's leg, unleashing terrible snapping sounds. Simultaneously she twists the huntress's wrist. Another snap. Lady gasps in pain as Sienna takes the gun out of her hand and points the end to Ladys forehead. Her head cocks to the side again and she stands, drops the gun in Lady's lap. She leans in, whispering into her ear, "Pick it up and you'll meet your demise before you can even consider blinking."

The devil turns, leaving Lady broken in the street. A small circle of blood stains on her cream toned shirt as she bullet pushes itself out, letting the wound completely heal. Lady glares at the distancing figure as it perishes deeper into the city. She doesn't let much time pass before rising to her one working foot, using the wall as leverage. She doesn't look down at her damaged limbs. The pain will keep her going. The sight of the pain's source will stop her.

* * *

Azure eyes widen upon seeing Trish walk Dante across the room. The elder hunter lands sloppily on the couch and lets out a groan of discomfort. He sighs and opens his eyes, meeting the widened ones of Nero.

"What the hell happened to you?" The youth asks, passing through the room to make his morning beverage.

"Take a wild guess."

Nero turns and raises an ivory brow to Dante, empty mug in hand. "That Sid guy?"

"Try again." He lets out a hoarse breath and shifts positions, also observing his damaged and blood soaked clothing.

"Sienna did that to you? You must have really pissed her off. Then again you don't have the best of luck with women in general." He snickers and watches the coffee pot, listening to it bubble as the water heats.

"I'm glad you find this so funny. Nero, she's turning us against each other." Trish approaches Nero's side, gathering a towel and running it under warm water.

"That's ridiculous. We all know she can take us all out if she wants to."

"A little calm when knowing something like that, don't you think?" Dante sits forward, taking the cloth and wiping the blood from his forehead. "As true as that is, she's messing with us. Separating each of us is entertaining to her."

Nero keeps his eyes on the hot deep brown liquid as it drips into the mug. isn't it better that they fight each other than her? Maybe Sienna is doing everyone a favor. If they go against her, he's positive she'll kill her opponents without blinking. If everyone turns against each other, they wouldn't go as far as killing one another. His eyes watch the translucent red liquid go down the drain as Trish rings out the towel, rinsing it out a second time.

Something has been in the back of his mind, something he's been ignoring. Why hasn't Sienna even attempted to hurt him? He threatened her in the library upon their first meeting. He touched her, which is obvious she doesn't like. Maybe he isn't a threat to her. Or she feels some sort of connection to him. He _does _take the time to talk to her. But Dante spoke to her outside of the city, and here he is; bleeding on his living room floor.

"I'd keep my distance from her from now on for your sake. For all of our sake." The room falls silent.

"Nero?"

"Kid!"

Nero jumps up and looks over at Trish and Dante, both giving him peculiar stares. He clears his throat and picks up the steaming cup of brewed beans, taking a long gulp. "Yeah, yeah. I heard you."

Dante scoffs and lifts his legs onto the couch, crossing one ankle over the other. "Then start getting smart about things."

"Sure thing old man." He places the quickly emptied mug down and grabs his trench coat from the coat hanger before opening the door. He stands frozen in the doorway, trench coat only half way on. Dante jumps up from the couch with what energy he has and bounds for the door, the familiar scent of blood giving him the boost. His stomach almost drops at the sigh of Lady, arm and leg mangled, droplets of blood in he wake. Her complexion is pale, putting the shade of both Dante and Nero's hair to shame. The sound of her breath is shallow and heavy, her polytonal eyes dancing side to side in a half daze.

Nero finally blinks his shock-widened eyes and opens the door completely. Dante moves forward in time to catch the human huntress, Nero grabbing hold of her closest side. Trish stands and rushes to aide the two ivory haired hunters, moving any obstacles out of their way as they carry Lady to the couch. Though each have enough strength to lift her without effort, both are equally just as afraid of breaking her any further.

Lady cringes and lets out a short grunt as she lays back on the couch. Her breathing slows and even as she is no longer under the stress of her own dead weight. Nero looks her from head to toe, disturbed by her damage. He doesn't even want to think about her journey back from wherever this happened. Trish leaves the room for a moment, speaking quickly about cloths and compresses.

"What the hell happened?" Nero asks breathlessly, the youth still taking in her partially mangled figure. Dante shoots him a deathly glare from over his shoulder as he kneels down next to Lady, looking for any other damage than her arm and leg.

"I shot her a few good ones." Lady manages to say, wincing as Dante barely shifts her torso. "Bitch didn't die." Her eyes scan Dante briefly and he sighs. "Looks like she got you pretty good, too."

Trish returns to the room with clean damp cloths and takes Dante's place at her side. Nero's azure eyes dart from Dante to Lady, then back onto Dante. Sienna did this. But why? Hurting Lady wouldn't turn anyone against each other, just against herself. Which only proves Trish and Dante's theory wrong. He takes a few steps back, the older hunters hovering over Lady. This also proves that Nero is thinking independently, that his choice is his own, no persuasion necessary. While everyone's attention is diverted, Nero slips out of the room, and out of the house.

* * *

Abigail chuckles shortly, clasping his hands behind his back as he watches Sienna ring out the blood from her shirt. She doesn't show it, but she is clearly angered. Whether it be the ruined shirt or the bump in with the huntress he isn't sure, nor does he care.

"Still playing nice, eh?"

Gunpowder eyes lock onto him and she lets go of her shirt. He chuckles again and takes a few steps around the room, old and dull eyes now scanning the unconscious male figure in the room. Sienna pushes her back against the wall, sliding down and resting on the cold stone floor. She hasn't been playing nice to begin with. This is the fastest way, something she should have done when the three hunters arrived the first night.

"The boy may not trust you anymore."

"That isn't my concern." She blinks and turns her attention to the small hole in her jacket, just above her heart.

If needed she would disable Nero and do what she plans without his consent. That part, unlike the first, would be the longer route. Abigail's constant grin grows wider at Sienna's coldness. Of course, it isn't entirely hers as much as the devil placed within her. Still, she shows no resistance against her new brutality. The two devils fall silent, hasty footsteps echoing through the church above.

"Speak of the devil." Abigail snickers. Sienna doesn't move. Instead, her eyes lower onto the male figure, head still tilted slightly to the ceiling. "Should I have a word with him?"

"No." She lowers her head and closes her eyes. "I think I'll listen for now."

On cue, her name is shouted once, again, a third time. He's been here for five minutes and already he is getting restless, impatient. He shouts hr name a fourth time, anger in his tone. Abigail raises a brow to Sienna as she stands, now heading to the room's exit.

"Sienna!" He shouts, slamming his fist backwards into the statue of Sparda. A large hole appears as the stone crumbles under the pressure.

"Yes, Nero?" A raspy voice brings him to a halt as Sienna appears before him for the first time, not behind of above him.

"What did-" His eyes drop to the darkening crimson circle on her shirt, then find the hole by her left shoulder. His hands drop to his sides, clenching into fists. "You didn't even give her a chance to defend herself?"

Sienna's chrome eyes don't blink, don't leave his. As always there is no emotion in them. "You seem upset." She says as if mocking him. He can never tell her word's true intent when she gives no hint as to what they might be. For all he knows she's being sincere.

"You almost killed her. She could be dying right now!"

"Then why are you here?"

"Because I…"

He takes a step towards her. She makes no attempt to console him nor deny what she did. He narrows his eyes as he stands before her, looking down at her impassive gaze. Taking a deep breath he places a hand on her shoulder and his eyes soften, but only slightly. He could-no-should be at Lady's side like Trish and Dante. However, he doesn't know her that well, although that doesn't justify his absence. He knows she wouldn't die, Sienna wouldn't go that far. He knows she wouldn't.

"Because I know you wouldn't do it. So why don't you tell me what the hell is going on?"

"Your only concern should be your arm."

His eyes narrow again as he retracts his am back to his side. "They're my concern, too."

"Then you will not be pleased with the results."

"What are you planning? You said no one would be killed, that wasn't part of this."

"No, killing wasn't a part of this. As far as you're concerned your friends are still alive, however the hunters have failed to head my every warning and so I must take measures to keep them out of my way and see this through."

"And if I try and stop you?" He asks, no confidence behind his threat.

"Then you, Nero, will have the same fate." She turns from him, taking light steps down from the stage.

He stands, watching her in disbelief. She would kill him with no regret?He shakes his head, feet leading him behind her. He reaches out and grips her with his devil arm. An ear piercing scream echoes throughout the room and Nero jumps backward, eyes searching for the source.

"Where did that come from?" He asks himself, turning his attention back toward Sienna. She lays face down on the floor, unmoving. Nero kneels down and shakes her gently.

"Sienna?" She doesn't move, her eyes open and unresponsive. "Sienna!"

* * *

**A/N: Seems everyone is just collapsing nowaday! I** **told you I'd update ;)  
I surprisingly don't have much to say other than that XD  
Thank you all who have stuck with me and this story and continue to review 3**

Mucho Love  
Charlie


	10. Chapter 10

**I'm baaaack =]]] Is Anybody Out There?**

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Chapter 10

* * *

Two eyes snap open to the view of the off-white popcorn ceiling. Her lips part after taking a deep swallow, nonetheless her throat remains dry. She attempts to sit up only to collapse again. Her head spins and she closes her eyes to make it stop. A low groan leaves her lips. Footsteps stop at her side and she cracks one eye open, peering up at her onlooker. Ivory hair stands out from the darker background, two crystal blue eyes come into view as he leans closer.

"You alright in there?" A large hand moves over her face before tapping her forehead.

She swats his hand away and turns her face, wincing at the light behind him. "Turn that off."

Her command is obeyed, but not by the obnoxious onlooker. She opens her eyes once more and takes in her view. Somehow she ended up on a couch, not dead in some alleyway in Fortuna. Dante moves out of Trish's way as she stands in front of Lady, a slight smirk on her face.

"For a second there we thought we lost you." Dante snickers.

"He was so concerned, you should have seen him." Trish mocks him as Lady lets out a heavy sigh, resting her forearm over her polytonal eyes. Dante scoffs at Trish before retiring to the kitchen. He opens the refrigerator and growls, swinging the door shut.

"See what I mean?" The blonde laughs. Lady's wrist throbs with the most unbearable pain, her leg seconding the feeling.

"You lost a lot of blood from that one." Trish motions toward the lower injury. "Think you'll be alright for now?"

"Just peachy." She says flatly.

Nero does not stop shaking her. He looks away from her absent silver eyes. She can't be dead. No devil this powerful just drops the way she did. He pauses and feels her chest for a heartbeat. He doesn't know CPR. Attempting it might do more damage. He shakes her again, azure eyes dancing across her body to find some spark of life.

"Come on, Sienna, don't…"

She doesn't answer him. Giving up, he sits back on the steps, arms resting on his knees. He lets out a long sigh and gazes at her, silver eyes fixed on the glass stained ceiling of the church. There is still no emotion readable on her soft features. Her mouth is slightly ajar, other than that a flat line. Waves of raven hair are strewn across the floor, her shoulders, and one strand across her neck. Nero leans forward and brushes the hair aside, the glimmer of the silver chain around her neck catching his attention.

He tugs the chain gently until the heart shaped jewel he'd seen earlier appears from under her shirt. It isn't a crystal, but it placed in between multiple tiny diamonds as if it were something rare or important. A crooked line travels across the jewel. Nero runs his thumb over it and discovers it is actually a crack. The one she mentioned loving must have given it to her. But why with a crack in it?

Nero averts his eyes back to Sienna's. She appears to be young, younger than him maybe. There were times he thought about what he would appear as to others if he had died those short years ago. Would they still think of him as some destructive evil force cursed upon them? Maybe he would have looked like Sienna does now; a once fearful youth now in an eternal state of helplessness.

With a sigh, he places the necklace back down, onto Sienna's chest. He lowers his eyes from her face before something else catches his attention. The scar running up her right hand is many shades darker then her skin color. Carefully, he rolls her jacket's sleeve up and sees that the scar travels from her inner wrist all the way up to her elbow. He traces his finger over it, wondering what might have happened to her when she was human.

The scar is thin, deep, crooked but precise. Something that a swordsman could accomplish. He thinks for a moment. Dante wouldn't hurt a human, something he made clear several times. Maybe she knew someone else with skills for the blade? His eyes dart to his devil arm, it glows brighter, but barely. He isn't sure how long it's been like this, maybe from the fear of Sienna dying.

He sighs again, this time standing. So she will remain a mystery to him. He looks around the church, a thin purple fog still present. The atmosphere she put up will go soon, too. Her plan, whatever it was, has failed. He gives Sienna one last glance. Her gunpowder eyes stare up, past him, past everything. A lifeless doll.

The glow of his arm causes him to raise a brow. For just a split second Yamato appears in his hands before vanishing back into the devil armor.

"What…?" He didn't trigger that to happen. Could all of his devil arms just appear like that?

A loud, wheezing inhale brings his eyes back down to Sienna. Her eyes are wide, her back bent upward as she struggles to fill her lungs with oxygen. Nero drops to the floor and aides her to sit up. She coughs violently, slumping forward. His eyes are as wide as saucers as he stares at her shaking figure. What the hell is going on? He inches back, giving her room to recover. A smirk crosses his lips.

"You didn't die!" His short lived laughter is stopped as her head cocks in his direction. Her chrome eyes narrow with hatred, even this emotion is something he's never seen her emit. Her hardened façade shattered, she jumps to her feet, growling at him. Nero stands, brows pulled together in confusion. Her eyes jump from his eyes to his arm.

"Leave me alone." Her words are throaty.

"Sienna, you were…I don't know, you were what seemed to be dead for almost an hour."

"Leave!" Her voice rings throughout the church, the glass ceiling and windows shattering.

Multicolored shards falls onto the both of them. Nero throws his devil arm up to shield his eyes. Two azure orbs search the church, but she is gone. The majority of the glass fallen, only pieces here and there descent from the church walls. He curses under his breath and turns to the exit. Now his arm might have to remain this way forever.

One floor above the room of the reincarnated body, blood is spilled. The thick crimson liquid seeps onto the floors, spreading, entering into a uniform symbol. A thick purple haze fills the room, making it as good as impossible to see through. The blood dries quickly before more comes flowing. The haze grows even thicker. Two rapidly moving silver eyes narrow as one of the blades of her weapon slices through her hand again and again, spilling as much blood as her veins can pump.

"There's a limited supply of that keeping your heart going." Abigail's irritating laughter echoes through the haze.

Sienna's pupils slide over to the source of the voice before returning to her mutilated hand. Something happened up in the chapel. Something Sienna hasn't anticipated. The barrier wasn't strong enough, she doubted it's strength from the start. There was a disruption, a glitch in the system. The body was disturbed, which did more than disturb her. More blood needs to be shed in order for it to hold up. Only she and Abigail could reach the body.

Abigail. She turns her gaze back over to him. She can't see him, though she can sense his exact location in the room. He wouldn't dare ruin this. Not only because Sienna could kill him in seconds, but because he has his own reasons for this plot. After all, he came to her.

"Is there something bothering you?" Abigail snickers.

Sienna keeps her gaze on him until the blood stops flowing from her hand. The wound closes instantaneously and she closes her hand into a fist. The blood on the stone floor dries quickly and just as rapidly it disappears, evaporating into the purple fog. She doesn't answer him. The fog rises, creeping through the cracks of the ceiling, rising to the chapel and surrounding the church. The air in the room returns to it's natural clear and crisp state.

"Get back to work, Abigail." She snaps at him.

"Yes, ma'am." He bows, one hand across his chest in mocking honor.

Walking through the door of his own house, Nero never expected a fist to connect with his face. He stumbles backwards, quickly grabbing onto the coat hanger. Using the back of his hand, he brushes off the blood from the already-healed scrape on his cheek.

"What the hell was that for!" He shouts at Dante, blue eyes connecting; one pair with confusion, surprise, and anger in them, the other pair amused with only a pinch of anger.

"First of all you left without letting anyone know. Second of all, you went to see Sienna five seconds after I told you not to." Dante places his hands on his sides, cocking his head to the side.

Nero scoffs and rotates his shoulders, shaking off the blow to the face. "I'm sorry, but I remember my father being dead for quite sometime now."

"What did she have to say to you this time?"

Nero takes his time answering. Telling Dante that she practically claimed Lady started the fight would sound childish. Instead, he skips to the more important lack of conversation part of the conversation. "She died."

"What?" Come the voices of Lady, Trish,-whom are still in the living room-and Dante.

"Well she's okay now." He shrugs. Dante's brows raise to the high heavens. How could he talk as if she had a false alarm for a broken limb or something? His eyes narrow as he approaches Nero, placing his large hands firmly on the youth's shoulders.

"What do you mean by 'she's okay now'? What happened?"

"She's alive again." He shrugs again. "We were just talking and she screamed and just sort of…I don't know died for a while."

"She screamed and then died?" Trish asks simply, raising a brow. Is he making it up? It sounds too ridiculous to be true.

A shake from Dante brings Nero's gaze back to his. "How long?"

"An hour or so. But she's okay now!"

"Bitch should have stayed dead." Lady manages to say.

"Either way she's not dead anymore so it really isn't a big deal."

"Kid, do you hear yourself? What happened before? What were you talking about?"

"Why are you so concerned?" Now it's Nero's turn to raise a brow.

"If you would just pay the fuck attention and use your wits for once you would know that whatever happened during the time was a flaw. A flaw means a weakness. A weakness makes it easier to take care of her."

"Oh." Nero takes a step back, out of Dante's grip, before walking around him and into the living room. He crouches down next to Lady. "Sorry about leaving before."

Lady glances a him for a moment. Her monochromatic glare doesn't last long and turns into a soft smile. He may be a somewhat stranger to her, but his youthful charm was too much to remain angry at him for long. Movement from the entrance brings everyone to attention. Dante swing his trench coat over his shoulders, sliding his hands through the sleeves.

"Where are you going?" Trish asks with annoyance.

"To see what the hell is going on, of course." Dante smirks and opens the door.

Nero's eyes widen for a moment and he stands, turning to Dante. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Unlike you, kid, I know how to handle women." Dante shuts the door behind him, the eyes of Trish and Lady falling on Nero, who in return shrugs off that last comment.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! It's been FOREVER! I hope you've enjoyed this chapter! I have more to come becuase, well, I have to finish the story XD**

**Read, Review, Enjoy!  
-Charlie**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Finally out of the others' sight, Dante stops, leaning against a vacant building's wall. He lowers his eyes, brows furrowing under locks of ivory hair. It's such a hassle. Everything going on wasn't supposed to happen. Just a simple demon-ridding job, that's all he signed up for. No different than any other job. Other than the Fortuna factor that is. Dante tilts his head up, the back of his head hitting the wall with a small _thud_. A long exasperating sigh passes his lips before his tongue passes over them, relieving the dryness.

Truth be told, he has no idea how to go about this. He still hasn't gotten over the idea of Sienna being a human-turned-devil despite his calm and nonchalant exterior. He takes a quick glance over his shoulder to reassure himself that no one, Nero in particular, is following him. Shoving his hands into the pockets of his trench, Dante kicks moves away from his resting place and punts a clot of dirt. A tan cloud circulates around his boots. He walks on, straight ahead.

How could she even make the transition? The only other person he knew of who tried to attempt it failed miserably. All of that trouble for nothing. A contradictory smirk crosses Dante's lips. And to think, the very person who failed is the beginning link in this entire chain. If it weren't for that despicable old man, Vergil would still be wandering around brooding as always. He wouldn't have taken a round trip to Hell, wouldn't have met Sienna, wouldn't have gotten himself killed for both their sake. And now her. Taking a demon's hand in this deal. Such a vicious circle. But there's no time to blame anyone, nonetheless the dead.

He raises his crystal blue eyes to the building tops, taking another scan to make sure no one is following. He can't have anyone interrupting him if he does get the chance to find Sienna. Not that he wouldn't be able to hear someone sneaking up on him, keeping one eye open is habit. The highest roof of the church comes into his view. His stomach drops, his pace slowing. It's so uncomfortable for him to see her so different. He would take her nagging, clumsy, stubborn attitude any day over this cold beast within her now.

The church becomes closer with every step, faster then Dante has been anticipating. He stands across the town center from the church. The water in the fountain runs smoothly, making the scenery seem calm, so far from the truth for right underneath his very feet danger is brewing. He drags his boots across the brick ground. For one, if Sienna is under there she will hear him, thus making finding her less troublesome. The other reason? He doesn't really want to be here in the first place, but better him than Nero or either of the huntresses.

Dante lifts his foot, taking the first step onto the territory. The church becomes shrouded in a dark purple mist, a wretches stench stinging his nostrils. He winces to keep his eyes from watering. Death is not a fitting smell for a chapel. Lifting the collar of his trench coat to his nose, Dante pushes the large wooden door open and cautiously enters the church. The barrier Sienna set up is much stronger than before. If any normal human being were to enter, they would die outside on their first step. However this barrier was no longer designed for the civilians of Fortuna.

Azure eyes dance around the room, making out shadows in every corner. What they are, are only his guess, however they aren't alive. Dante presses his trench hard to his face, trying his best to breath. The tapping of footsteps causes him to tense up. The quick, short tapping of Sienna's heels approach him. He opens his eyes a little more to see her walking towards him. As she nears, the mist clears. Her gunpowder eyes bore into him. "Shall we step outside?" She walks past Dante before he can give an answer.

"I'd appreciate it." He says, following her out.

Reaching the fountain, Sienna whirls around and takes a seat on its edge, her hair flows over her shoulder like the water flows over the fountain's top. If only her eyes weren't so frozen she'd appear to be just as peaceful. Dante takes a seat on the opposite side of the fountain so the two are back to back, fountain in between. He'd rather appear to have no manners than to tell her he can't stand seeing her like this.

"You tried to kill one of my co-workers."

"She shot me first." Sienna answers.

"And that gave you the right to snap her limbs like twigs?"

"Yes." She says simply.

Dante's azure eyes narrow and he leans forward to place his elbows on his knees.

"You seem upset." She says, her soft, raspy voice barely traveling over the rushing water. He looks over his shoulder at her, but she faces away from him, watching the church. "I didn't kill her, so that's not what is troubling you."

He turns his body to face her now. "And how would you know if she died or not?"

"You mentioned my trying to kill her. Obviously, I did not succeed. So why have you really come here?"

He exhales sharply and gets on his feet, walking across the fountain's pool. Still, she does not turn to face him. Could she possibly be feeling the same-not wanting to face Dante as she is? He takes a seat next to her, his soaked boots collecting dirt from the ground. They both face ahead, not looking at each other. Talking and emotions is not Dante's forte. Here goes nothing. "I want this to stop. All of it. Honestly, I can't believe you would do something so selfish. Stupid-yes, but you've gone against everything you used to be about. Against everything for yourself and everyone else involved. Of all people, Sienna, I thought you were the most stubborn and headstrong of them all."

Her silver eyes narrow. "You're praise is far too much."

"Just pull out of the game now, while there's still time to. We can figure something out." Dante scowls inwardly. Pleading is the last thing he'd ever resort to. But desperate times call for desperate measures. He places his hand on her shoulder, pulling her into his chest. "I don't want anything happening to you."

"Don't touch me." She says quietly.

He glares at her for a moment before wrapping his other arm around her. Her body tenses.

"I said do not touch me."

"Then stop all of this. Sienna, we can find some other way to bring him back."

"No!" She shouts, pushing him away. Dante gains his balance and watches her stand and set a distance between him and herself. "This is the only way, Dante!"

His blue eyes widen in surprise by her outburst. "I will _not _tolerate any more of your lies. I will bring him back. I will do things my way, no matter who dies in the process."

"Leave the kid out of this."

"No matter who." She repeats, venom in her words.

The rapid waters of the fountain are deafening as the moment of silence between two prolongs. Sienna's chest rises and falls slower and slower as she regains composure. Her fists open, jaw unclenching. Dante breaks their stares as he closes them, now laughing a quiet, hushed laugh. He shakes his head side to side and lets out a sigh, a sly smile across his lips. "Ahh, I've made a mistake." He opens his eyes just barely, the sharp intensity sending daggers at the girl. "You're still stubborn as always."

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**A/N: I'm surprised by how many of you have stuck with this story! I love it! =D**

**Anywho, I hope you've all enjoyed this chapter and continue to hang in there with me!  
Read, Review, Enjoyyy**

(PS: This is not a DantexNero story so sorry messagers and reviewers who somehow thought it was?)

**-Charlie3**


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